Beyond These Walls
by Nokutaan
Summary: Byleth has lived her life within the confines of the monastery under Rhea's guidance all of her life. However, on the eve she is to enroll in Garreg Mach as a student, Jeralt returns after rescuing the three house leaders. As Byleth learns the other side of the story to her birth, she finds that she is beginning to look beyond the walls that she once thought to be home.
1. The Lie Upon Her Lips

-_Horsebow Moon, 1162_

Rhea held the baby in her arms, a frown gracing her ethereal features. The process had been a success, and the Crest of Flames had been transferred to this silent babe. However, in the process…

Rhea's eyes drifted to the now still body of Sitri. Sitri had been so excited to be a mother. The young woman had spoken so fondly of starting a family with Jeralt. Rhea had warned her that having a child with such weak health would likely cost Sitri her life, and still… Sitri wanted nothing more than to be a mother. Rhea could understand the feeling. Sitri was the closest thing she'd ever had to a daughter, and Rhea often reminisced on how her own mother doted on her. There was nothing more precious than the bond between mother and child. Rhea gave Sitri's body one more look over, her eyes misting over slightly before turning back to the silent child.

It made no sound, had no heart beat, and yet it stirred. No doubt the Crest of Flames now stirred in this young babe, but that was not all- her own blood flowed through this child. While Sitri had failed to manifest the consciousness of her mother, this child could possibly bring back all that she had lost at Zanado.

"Hello, sweet child," Rhea hummed as a hand brushed a few locks of dark hair from the baby's eyes. She watched as the babe slowly opened its eyes and met hers. Once again, Rhea found her eyes misting over. Soon her long journey would be over- soon her mother would return to her, "I've been waiting to meet you for a such long time," Her voice was quiet. The baby stirred for a few moments, but made no sound. It didn't cry or whine for its mother, but such was to be expected.

Sitri also was a quiet child when she had been made. There was something that was lost in the process of making vessels. Rhea postulated that the Crest of Flames also played a part in why the child was not fussing or crying. Perhaps something was simply hindered by having the crest of a god placed in human vessel- whether it be in health or in emotion. These vessels were mere copies of her... They couldn't be considered fully human or Nabatean. Ah, but the same could not be said about this child, could it? This child was not born from the ancient and forbidden magicks of old, but of Sitri's own flesh and blood. Yes, this child was... mostly human. However, the blood that ran through her veins was not.

A sigh escaped Rhea. How had this all gotten so... _complicated?_

The Archbishop knew she should tell Jeralt the news- that Sitri had passed and that he was now the father of a baby girl. However, a part of her did not wish to let this child go. Afterall, she was staking all her hopes on this babe, and Rhea was well aware Jeralt would not understand. He was a courageous and upstanding man- a bit rough around the edges, but a man of morals nonetheless- if he knew the lengths she had gone to save this child, and what this child could possibly _be_...

Her brow furrowed.

Rhea had known him long enough to guess what Jeralt would likely do, and Rhea wasn't going to let that happen. No one would be allowed to interfere in the revival of the progenitor god- _her own mother_\- from returning to the world. Rhea valued Jeralt and his time in the Knights of Seiros, but this was something she could not budge on. However, the thought of Jeralt keeping this child from her made her insides twist.

It would be so easy to… to lie… and…

_"No, Rhea, that isn't right. It's not what Sitri would have wanted. You have to consider what she would want. Sitri would want Jeralt to meet his child,"_ Rhea thought, but she held the tight closer to her chest. However, the more Rhea thought about it the more resolute she became in not handing this child over to Jeralt. Rhea had cared deeply for Sitri, but if it meant that she could return to how things were… The Archbishop was willing to do anything to achieve that. It didn't matter who she had to lie to or if she had to stain her hands in forbidden magic, or even if it meant... commiting an unforgivable sin such as this

When the time came it would be her mother's duty to judge her, and no one else's.

After another few long moments Rhea had made a decision. She would keep the child and raise it as her own. It was a selfish decision- she knew this, but everything she had done up until now… Hadn't that been selfish too? What was one more selfish decision in the grand scheme of things? Rhea couldn't expect Jeralt to see the bigger picture in all of this, nor could Jeralt be expected to understand just how important this child was.

"Forgive me, Sitri. I know this isn't what you wanted, but my mother—_our mother_\- must return to this world, and I must… I must make that happen. No matter the cost."

Rhea hugged the child tight. There would be plenty of time to lament such matters later, but for now plans had to be made. Seteth was due to arrive at the monastery soon. If she was to truly keep the child then she had to have a plan ready before he made it to Garreg Mach.

As much as she loved and treasured Seteth, Rhea wasn't keen on answering any questions on the unsavory details of her plan. Not yet anyway.

Rhea gave Sitri one last look. Preparations for Sitri's funeral had to be made and there were other issues to attend to. Rhea stepped out of Sitri's chambers with the babe in hand. Jeralt would be waiting down the hall. The archbishop intended to present the babe to Jeralt, but she had already decided he would not keep the babe.

No one else had the right to raise this baby- and as she tried to justify this unforgivable sin to herself- Rhea reasoned that no one else _**COULD**_ raise this child but her.


	2. From Servant to Student

-20th of the Great Tree Moon

"Oh, the uniform looks absolutely darling on you, Byleth! I'm green with jealousy! I have implored my brother to let me join the Officer's Academy many times, but he has always denied my requests, " Flayn chuckled from behind Byleth as Byleth admired herself in the mirror. It felt… odd to be wearing the uniform of the officer's academy. Byleth never imagined she would ever be able to attend as a student. Rhea had always skirted around the issue whenever she had asked. Byleth had always been apathetic to the issue, but she couldn't help but wonder what it was like to be a student rather than a simple errand girl for Rhea.

It wasn't as if she needed the education- between Rhea, Seteth, and Catherine's training Byleth was sure she could match any of the students who attended in combat. However, the logical part of her had always argued that if she was truly going to succeed Rhea shouldn't she learn more of the outside world? Although she was in much better health than her mother, Byleth had been forbidden from stepping outside the monastery. It was… frustrating having such an important role to fulfill and not knowing what the world outside Garreg Mach was actually like. However, she wasn't about to question Rhea's reasons. Rhea had raised Byleth- to question Rhea was like questioning her mother.

"...Is it supposed to be so… tight? And is the skirt really necessary?" Byleth finally responded. In truth, Byleth felt like she stood out a bit in this uniform and it made her more than a little bit uncomfortable. After all, she had always been told by Rhea and Seteth to not stand out- drawing attention to yourself was bad. Rhea seemed especially insistent on the rule.

"Is it tight? Perhaps you've gained some weight?" Flayn chuckled and Byleth shot her aunt a glance, "I jest, I jest! The fabric used to make the uniform is a bit different than what you're used to. I heard it's made from the finest cloth in Enbarr. Oh, now I'm even more jealous!"

Byleth shrugged finally turning away from the mirror. It would take some time to get used to wearing a uniform and not simple cloth robes.

"I think you're more excited about this than I am, Flayn," Byleth murmured as she reached for the boots that were part of the uniform- her only thought on the matter is that she's grateful they aren't heels. More than once, she's seen some Imperial noble break their ankle because they decided to be fashionable and try and wear heels to school.

"You're not excited? Even just a teeny, tiny bit?" Flayn couldn't hide the surprise in her voice. Byleth's aunt had been here for a year, and yet Flayn still seemed surprised at how apathetic and stoic Byleth was to… well… everything.

It wasn't as if Byleth was emotionless, but she found it hard to express herself. She had never been particularly expressive, but the more Rhea had insisted to not draw attention to herself- the harder she found it outwardly show her emotions. The Archbishop was similar in some ways- however, Rhea had the beauty and grace that Byleth still lacked. She was calm, collected, and everyone was looking to her for guidance.

One day that would be Byleth.

Therefore, it would be better to learn how not to let her emotions show now- if a leader shows anxiety or anger then their followers would surely follow suit, and because the Church of Seiros was so big… A frown tugged at Byleth's lips as she pushed the small anxiety aside. There wasn't much point in worrying about the future right now. For now, she just had to acclimate to student life.

"It's not as if I'm not excited… Anyone would be excited," Byleth murmured slipping on her other boot, "But both Uncle Seteth and Aunt Rhea insist that we don't draw attention to ourselves. Don't you think this is a bit antithetical to that?" Byleth asked with her brow furrowed.

However, Flayn merely smiled, "Oh, you worry too much! You're just like my brother! If you worry so much you'll go grey before you're even half as old as me."

Byleth shot Flayn another look, "...How old are you anyone, Flayn? You can't be much older than me given how young Uncle Sete-"

"—Oh! You always ask me this and the answer will always be the same, dear Byleth! It is exceedingly rude to ask a ladies age! Besides, it is your day. I would appreciate it if you not try and shift the focus off yourself!" Flayn giggled. Byleth merely stared at Flayn.  
They had known each other for a year, and Flayn was arguably the first friend she had ever made, but the green-haired girl had some… odd quirks- one of which was that she never disclosed her age. Initially, Byleth had made a game of trying to guess her age, but Flayn always laughed it off or changed the subject.

Byleth assumed that Seteth's younger sister couldn't be much older than her, but Byleth didn't know why that had to be a big secret. She had always to just assumed it was one of the many odd quirks Flayn had- that and her strange obsession with fish…

"Ah, didn't my brother and Archbishop Rhea wish to see you? I bet my brother will be beside himself with joy when he sees you like this. He was talking about it all last night! He was beside himself with worry and joy! You should have seen how furrowed his brow was!" Flayn giggled.

Byleth let out a sigh as she headed for the door with Flayn following quickly behind. Byleth could understand Seteth's worry- her uncle often shared many of the same worries she had. He was just better at expressing them than she was.

The halls of Garreg Mach felt different today. She had traversed these halls many times- grown up in them even- but today they felt alien. Was it because of the uniform or because she would be a student for the next year?

As Flayn and Byleth made their way to the upper chambers of the monastery, Byleth couldn't help but look to see if any of the students who had already arrived had noticed her. Luckily, many of them seemed far too preoccupied with moving their things into their rooms from the carriages to give pay either Flayn or Byleth much attention, but once everything settled down… Would that… change?

Again, Byleth's brow furrowed.

"You look far more troubled than excited, Byleth. Everything will be okay. While, yes, it is true we aren't supposed to draw too much attention to ourselves that doesn't mean we have to isolate ourselves. Such a way of life is… most unpleasant," Flayn chimed, but for a brief moment, her gaze was cast downward. Byleth felt bad for worrying her friend, especially when Flayn showed her oddly… mature side. Sometimes it felt that Flayn was lamenting something from the past. Byleth had asked many times what troubled her friend so, but as quickly as those moments came… They were gone.

"I am okay, Flayn. I'll feel better after talking with the Archbishop. She will be able to quell any worries I have," Byleth offered Flayn a nod. The small act seemed to lift Flayn's spirits considerably which relieved Byleth. Her Aunt Flayn looked best when she was walking around with that goofy grin on her face.

They fell into quiet chitchat on their way to Rhea's office. Their conversation wasn't nearly as heavy as it had been in the lower halls- instead, Flayn took to asking Byleth several "what-if" scenarios- each one more preposterous than the last.

"You two sound like you're having quite the conversation," A familiar voice pierced the peaceful banter. A soft chuckle followed by the tinkle of the bells on her headdress as she stepped out of her office. It was rare to catch Rhea grinning as she was, but even the Archbishop appeared to be in good spirits today, "I was afraid your nerves would have gotten the better of you. I am relieved to know that is not the case. I wish I could say the same for Seteth. He's been beside himself with worry all day."

"I would not say I am 'beside myself with worry', Lady Rhea. I am simply concerned that some of the more unsavory individuals that are attending this year will be a bad influence on Byleth and Flayn," Seteth huffs as he, too, steps out of Rhea's office.

"...Unsavory individuals?" Byleth frowned. Rhea hadn't mentioned anyone unsavory joining the monastery's ranks this year. Was this really such a good idea?

Rhea let out another soft chuckle before turning to Byleth and catching the slight furrow in her brow and the small frown tugging at her cheeks, "You need not worry, Sweet Child. Seteth and I personally review the applications of the students at Garreg Mach. No one here is a threat. In fact, we've had some… interesting applicants join this year."

"Oh! Yes! I heard this year that the heirs from the Empire, the Kingdom, and the Alliance will be enrolling this year! How exciting! It's not often that all of the future rulers of Fodlan will be in one place. Why, I postulate, that this is quite a rarity!" Flayn chimed in cheerfully.

Rhea's gaze drifts to Flayn and then back to Byleth before she gives a small nod, "Yes, that's precisely why I… decided to let you enroll this year, Byleth. It will be a good chance for you to learn about each of the regions in Fodlan first hand. The church must keep good relationships with every one of the nations so you would do well to get to know them."

So that's why Rhea had decided to enroll her this year- this was an extension of her training. Rhea's sudden change in position on the matter suddenly made much more sense and the Archbishop's reasoning was sound. After all, it would be unlikely that once she took over the church that she would have time to travel or see the important allies of the church. Enrolling as a student would give her a chance to make those connections without ever having to leave the monastery. Byleth can't help but be amazed by Rhea's foresight- it seemed almost inhuman at times.

"Ah, and the new teacher of the Golden Deer house is supposed to be with them. It's a shame our previous

Professor had to retire, but alas, age cannot be outrun," Rhea remarked nonchalantly. Byleth nodded once again.

The plan made sense, but she had a few… questions.

"If I may, Lady Rhea… Do the house leaders know who I am…? Am I expected to join a house?" Byleth asked. Rhea hadn't exactly detailed much beyond this plan except that she was to enroll as a student, "Wouldn't the church's neutrality be jeopardized if the house leaders knew who I was?"

Seteth shook his head, "We've already prepared forged documents for you. They will not know who you are, and you aren't to tell them. Additionally, you are to change houses every four months. It will give you ample chance to spend equal time with all of the houses."

"I see.." Byleth's tone was even, but even she knew there were some particular flaws in this plan. Wouldn't repeatedly swapping houses look… bad to the people she was being asked to befriend? Byleth was the first to admit she wasn't exactly knowledgeable on making friends, but wouldn't it seem like a betrayal?

Rhea's voice is what cuts through Byleth's brooding.

"You need not worry, my child. Even if you decide to stay with one house the Church's neutrality will not be questioned. We have dealt with all three nations impartially for several hundred years. Expecting that to change because you chose one house over another is utterly ridiculous," Rhea hummed before a hand reached up to gently cup one of Byleth's cheeks.

It's a gentle and comforting touch- one that Byleth has known for as long as she could remember.

"Let your anxieties be at ease, Byleth. The only thing you need to worry about is learning about the other nations from the students here. While I had my reservations about enrolling you, I think it will be an excellent opportunity for you to grow."

"...Alright… If you think so, Lady Rhea," Byleth felt her doubt easing away as Rhea removed her hand from Byleth's cheek. With Rhea here, there was nothing to worry about- she had always been certain of that.

Rhea was benevolent, she was wise, and she had always done what was best for Fódlan.

"Archbishop Rhea, Master Seteth- forgive me for the intrusion, but I have received a message from the guards at the outer walls," A messengers voice suddenly cut through the quiet and comfortable atmosphere, "The heirs of the Empire, the Kingdom, and the Alliance have arrived."

Seteth's brow furrowed, "So soon? We weren't expecting them for another two days at least," The confusion was apparent in Seteth's voice, and Byleth caught the quickest glimpse of surprise flicker briefly through Rhea's eyes.

"Yes, well… there's was a problem… The students were attacked by bandits on the way to Garreg Mach- during the passage through Remire Village," The messenger's voice was even, but Byleth could catch the way his breath seemed ragged. He had run here and was doing his best to keep his composure.

"Were any of the students injured?" Rhea's voice was laced with worry. Byleth could see the slightest of frowns beginning to tug at the Archbishop's delicate features.

"No, thankfully they came across a wandering bad of mercenaries who saved them. Apparently, the only injury was to one of the mercenaries- a young girl. The students rushed here as quickly as they could to get her treatment."

The tension in the room eases a bit. Both Seteth and Rhea were relieved that the students were unharmed. It would have been an international incident if one of the heirs to three great nations of Fodlan were to be killed by bandits.

"Tell the mercenaries they are welcome at Garreg Mach for as long as they need. It is the least we can do for saving our students," Rhea smiled gently, but Byleth caught the way the messenger seemed to tense, and so did Rhea. There was more to the story that had yet to be told, "...Is there something else you wish to say?"

The messenger stiffened, "Er… Yes… Well… Captain Alois told me to tell you that the leader of the mercenary group who had saved the students was… "The messenger seemed reluctant to finish his sentence which seemed to pique Rhea's curiosity.

"Was? Come now there is no need for such anxiety, young one. I wish to know the name of the mercenary who graciously saved three of our students."

"Alois said it's Captain Jeralt- the Bladebreaker."

Byleth frowned. The one who had saved the house leaders was... her father?

A/N: Phew, usually I don't push out chapters so quickly, but I am continuing to spit ball with my friend Ada and this AU is just so much fun to write! Thank you for all the support so far! If you would like to yell at me about fire emblem just send a message or tag me on tumblr over at .com! Ada and I have dubbed this au "churchleth" cause it just rolls off the tongue real easily than student!Byleth haha.


	3. Curiosity

"The leader of the mercenary group is…_ Jeralt?_" Rhea's voice hitched. It seemed not even she was able to hide her surprise that the Bladebreaker had returned to Garreg Mach. Rhea had often told Byleth stories of her father growing up- they were often grand tales of courage and bravery. The Archbishop had never spoken ill of her father. In fact, there always seemed to be an unspoken level of grief whenever she recounted tales of Jeralt to Byleth. She had valued his presence and his sudden departure from the Knights of Seiros seemed to have wounded her deeply.

Byleth… had been largely apathetic to the existence of her father. She was not angry or sad towards him for leaving her in the care of the Archbishop, she wasn't anything really. Her life at Garreg Mach had always been comfortable and easy, and between Seteth, Rhea, and Flayn she wasn't starved for familial affection.

However, she can't help but feel a certain level of curiosity about her father. Byleth had heard tales of what an excellent swordsman he had been, and how Jeralt had swept Byleth's mother off her feet in a whirlwind romance that mimicked those of the cheap romance books she found hidden in the library, but… She didn't really know Jeralt in the truest sense of the word. Byleth knew OF him, yes, but her father was foreign to her.

Seteth and Flayn seemed rendered silent by Rhea's apparent confusion. Flayn had no idea who Jeralt even was, and Seteth, according to Rhea, arrived at the monastery shortly after Jeralt had left- Rhea and some of the older knights were the only ones who could speak about Jeralt in any reliable capacity.

And from what they had said of Captain Jeralt was that he was a good and honest man, but simply shut down after the death of his wife. They were practically inseparable, and to suddenly be left without his other half devastated him. Rhea said that he had left shortly after and entrusted Byleth's care to her.

There could have been many reasons for it. The most obvious explanation was that the life of a mercenary was not good for a child. They need stability and Jeralt knew he couldn't give that to Byleth as a mercenary- that was the story that Rhea had stuck with at least. However, there's a part of Byleth that wonders if that was truly it- she couldn't necessarily rule out that it could have been a much more personal reason that he couldn't admit out loud. Perhaps she looked too much like Sitri to stand to be around, or perhaps… He never truly wanted a child.

Byleth would only ever entertain these thoughts briefly. She had never known Jeralt so it was pointless to dwell on the what-ifs. However, perhaps now she may be able to find out why he had left all those years ago...

"...I see," Rhea's voice is even, but there's still a hint of surprise lacing her tone. Byleth had learned to read Rhea's little habits from growing up with her, "I should meet with him. It has been 17 years after all, and there is much to discuss."

Byleth eyed the Archbishop hoping to discern her intention, but not even Byleth could read what was behind that mirthful smile.

"Am I…" Byleth was about to murmur out a question, but the question died in her throat. She didn't know how to ask this question, or if it would be rude. Was it a betrayal to the Archbishop if Byleth admitted she wanted to meet Jeralt?

Rhea seemed to catch what Byleth was about to ask, and only returned the unasked question with the gentlest of smiles- one that Byleth couldn't read. However, that smile also told her it was better not to ask. She had learned from a young age not to ask questions- that everything would be alright- and the young girl assumed this matter would be no different.

"In any case, I will have a room prepared for them. If Jeralt's apprentice was injured then they will likely be staying here for a few days at the very least. I should be there to welcome them," Seteth interjected, "Come, Flayn. You may assist me in this matter-" The Archbishop turned to make his way towards the corridor with the messenger

Flayn puffed her cheeks out, "But I want to hear more about Byleth's first days of school, Brother," Flayn protested, but saw him trudging off not even bothering to see if she was following," Brother- **Brother-!** Oh! You're absolutely infuriating sometimes!" Flayn huffed out before trailing after him.

Rhea and Byleth were suddenly left alone, and the silence was awkward and palpable. Byleth's gaze seemed to be fixed on the floor. The young girl is sure Seteth found an excuse to leave the two of them alone together- Byleth wondered if Seteth could read Rhea in a way that she couldn't. It would make sense if that were the case… He was Rhea's council after all.

"You wish to meet Jeralt," Rhea's voice was soft, but Byleth knew well that even if Rhea's voice was soft it didn't necessarily mean she was happy. She could be anything, and at this moment, Byleth is worried Rhea might be upset with her.

"I…" She wasn't going to lie to Rhea. Byleth couldn't, not after everything Lady Rhea had done for her. The Archbishop was the closest thing to a mother she had, "...I do, yes. You've always told me stories about him, and I… suppose I just want to know if the image I have of him lives up to the image I have of him in my head. I also… want to know why he left me to be a mercenary."

Byleth's gaze remains fixed downward as if she's a child waiting for a lecture. The lecture or Rhea's fury never comes. Instead, a hand reaches out to gently lift Byleth's head so that her gaze may meet Rhea's.

Rhea wears the same unreadable smile, but Byleth can't help but feel reassured by the simple touch, "Sweet child, there is nothing wrong with wanting to meet your father. Jeralt is a good man- flawed- but good. I worry that asking such questions might bring him undue harm though," There's a pause, "Child, do you trust me?"

"Of course I do, Lady Rhea. More than anyone," Byleth responded almost immediately. Rhea's unreadable expression softened considerably as she pulled Byleth into a hug.

"Then allow me to talk to him first. We must assess if he is… ready to meet you," Rhea murmured as she ran her fingers through Byleth's hair. Byleth found herself wrapping her arms around Rhea and returning the hug, "But please promise me you will keep your questions to yourself until I know for sure Jeralt's feelings on the matter. It's for his own good."

"As you wish, Lady Rhea," Byleth murmured.

_-21st of the Great Tree Moon_

Byleth tossed and turned all night- there were too many thoughts churning in her head. She kept thinking of the task that had been assigned to her: befriend the leaders of the three houses.

She assumed that meant getting close to each of them in the same way Byleth had gotten close to Flayn, but she didn't really have to put any effort into getting to know Flayn. Flayn just seemed to immediately warm to her- and Byleth had never had any friends before Flayn, so the issue came down to a simple question…

How did one make friends?

And then there was the blaring issue that she'd been trying to push aside since her discussion with Rhea the previous day: would she be able to meet Jeralt? Rhea had seemed fine with it, but the Archbishop had insisted on talking to the Bladebreaker first.

Byleth stared blankly down at her breakfast trying to gather her thoughts together. She was exhausted, and yet she was wide awake. She kept tossing around ideas on how to introduce herself to the other house leaders, and to the other students that would be arriving at the academy today.

Byleth had told Rhea yesterday she would make a decision on which house she was going to join by the end of the day. The reasonable way to go about this would to meet some of the current students and get an idea of how each house was going to operate.

But it all felt so… _forced_. Byleth hadn't had to force a friendship with Flayn- it just developed naturally over the time she spent together. What to do… What to do…

"Hey, mind if I sit here? I hate to see a pretty lady sitting by herself," A voice pierced her thoughts and Byleth's eyes quickly darted up. It was a boy about her age with fiery red hair, and he was grinning at her.

Byleth looked around. Was he addressing her? He had to have been talking to her. She was the only one sitting at the table. Judging from his uniform he wasn't one of the house leaders- but he was a student. Well, he would be good practice for socializing.

"Alright," Byleth responded calmly still giving the boy the up and down. The boy flashed another smooth grin before sliding in next to her. He was a little too close for comfort, but perhaps this was how people outside the church acted?

"So, pretty girl like you got a name?" He winked before taking a bite into his breakfast. Byleth frowned almost immediately. Why was he winking at her, and why was he complimenting her? It didn't make much sense.

Byleth did her best to hide her confusion in the same way Lady Rhea did- by offering the other a gentle, yet distant smile, "Byleth- and you?"

"Sylvain Gautier," He announced with an air of confidence that irked Byleth slightly. He had to have been noble born with that attitude. She'd seen it plenty of times in the nobles that would often come to pay their respects to Lady Rhea. They thought they were owed something simply because they were high born

Gautier… Gautier… She had heard the last name before in her studies. House Gautier was a descended of the ten elites- they housed the Lance of Ruin. However, that's about all she knew. If she was the next Archbishop then she should befriend him as well.

However, his attitude made it rather off-putting.

"I see. Well, it's nice to meet you," She said evenly before returning her gaze back to her food. Her flat demeanor seemed to surprise the other.

"Byleth sure is a pretty name. How about you and I get together and-" He's immediately cut off when a girl with blonde hair approaches the both of them.

"Sylvain! There you are! I've been looking all over you. His Majesty would like a wo-" The girl stopped mid-sentence. Byleth couldn't help but notice the way her face seemed to twin into an annoyed frown, "We haven't even been here a day and you're already hitting on girls it seems," The girl hissed out.

This time Byleth couldn't hide her confusion. Hitting on her? No, he hadn't done that. Sylvain hadn't raised a finger to her- he was sitting a little close, but that couldn't be qualified as hitting, could it?

"Aw, c'mon Ingrid, I'm just getting to know one of our fellow students," He winked, "You could stand to be a little nicer. Look, you've troubled the beautiful Byleth!"

"And you could stand not to flirt with every woman you've just met. I would appreciate not to have to clean up any of your messes on the first day of school," Ingrid hissed out, "I apologize Byleth. Sylvain here is known as a bit of a womanizer."

"You wound me, Ingrid. I'm not a womanizer. I simply enjoy the company of a beautiful lady!"

Womanizer? That… What exactly was a womanizer? A man who collected women was her best guess, but perhaps she'd have to ask Seteth or Rhea about it later. However, she wants to clear up one misconception quickly.

"Excuse me, uh, Ingrid?" Byleth finally speaks and suddenly Ingrid's gaze is fixed on her, "I fear there's been some mistake. Sylvain never hit me. He's never laid a hand on me. Sure, he was sitting a little close, but uh…" Byleth murmured.

There's a very long pause before Sylvain lets out a very loud laugh. He can't stop laughing. Ingrid looks somewhere between bewildered and stunned. Had what she said really been so strange?

"...You mean to say he wasn't flirting with you?" Ingrid muttered out in disbelief, and this time it was Sylvain's turn to look surprised.

"...Ah, is that why he was paying me all those excessive compliments? I wondered what I had done to warrant such praise, but that makes sense if he was flirting with me," Byleth responded. Ingrid's gaze shifted between Byleth and Sylvain for a moment before she let out an exasperated sigh.

"...In any case, Sylvain, His Majesty was-"

Sylvain moves to stand, "Yeah, yeah. Dmitri probably wants to lecture me the same way you just were. I'd rather not get another lecture," He immediately turned away from Ingrid and Byleth could see Ingrid's face twisting with anger once more, "Anyway, Byleth, how about you and I ditch this place, and-"

"Come on, Sylvain-" Ingrid hissed before grabbing his hand and yanking him away from Byleth causing him to stumble over the bench he'd been sitting on. Byleth watched Ingrid drag Sylvain off.

Byleth can't help but feel a bit… perplexed by the encounter. However, she can't dwell on it for too long as she heard the monastery bell ring in the distance signaling the beginning of morning services in the Church.

She had promised to meet Rhea before services, so this meant she was already late. Byleth quickly grabbed her mostly untouched food and tossed it. So much for breakfast- not that she was super hungry anyway.

Byleth made haste to Rhea's office. The halls of Garreg Mach were still fairly empty as many of them would be students who had yet to arrive from their territories yet. However, nuns and monks were frantically running about trying to prepare for the beginning of the school year. These halls would be much more busy in the following days.

When she finally arrived at Rhea's office, she overheard a gruff voice speaking with Rhea, and it gave Byleth pause. Her hand hovered over the door handle.

"-While I appreciate the offer, I have no interest in returning to Garreg Mach or the Knights of Seiros, Archbishop. Once Leonie has healed we will be taking our leave," His voice seemed resolute on the matter.

"It's a shame you feel that way, Jeralt. I have always valued your service to the monastery and to the Knights of Seiros," Rhea's voice was the same as ever- calm, unbothered- or at least, that's what Byleth thought.

Byleth should have just waited for the Bladebreaker to leave. She shouldn't have been eavesdropping on a private conversation! However, curiosity got the better of her. Quietly, Byleth turned the door nob to get a peek at the man who was her father.

Just as she thought he was a gruff, muscular man. She could vaguely make out a myriad of scars on his body. No doubt a testament to the many battles he'd been through. This was the man who had swept a nun into a whirlwind romance? Byleth couldn't see it.

Byleth's gaze drifted to Rhea, and she bristled when she saw Rhea's gaze transfixed not on Jeralt, but on her. Had she been found out?!

"Child, you do not have to stand at the door so awkwardly. Please, come in," Rhea hummed.

"Huh?" Jeralt's gaze is also suddenly transfixed on the door.

Well, that answered that question.

Byleth sighed and nervously stepped inside Rhea's office, "You… asked to see me, but I heard voices, so…" Byleth murmured. Rhea simply smiled before turning back to Jeralt.

"I was just offering Jeralt a teaching position at Garrg Mach, but he's refused. He will be leaving us once again in a few days. While I am disappointed that such an esteemed mercenary won't be joining our teaching staff, I want to respect his wishes," Rhea nodded.  
Byleth watched as a mixture of shock and anguish seemed to briefly be present on Jeralt's face. Her presence had shocked him- unnerved him—perhaps even appalled him- which in turn caused Byleth to frown. She wasn't allowed to ask Jeralt all of the questions she wanted to, but his reaction said all she had needed to know.

"Rhea,**_ you-!_**"

"Byleth is a young woman I raised, she will be enrolling as a student here this year. I was hoping you could teach her the ways of the blade, but because you shall be leaving Garreg Mach once your apprentice is healed… We will have to find another teacher."

Byleth can feel the tension in the room. Was she the cause of this sudden disagreement?

"Should I… return another time..?" Byleth asked. However, it was Jeralt, not Rhea who answered her question.

"No, I was just leaving. I may have to… _reconsider_ the Archbishop's offer," Jeralt's voice was even and the emotion that had been present on his face just moments before seemed to have been pushed down. Byleth's eyes followed him as he retreated out of Rhea's office.

So that was… her father. She didn't know what to feel, and Byleth finds herself looking to the Archbishop for some type of guidance. However, instead, what she found was that same, unreadable smile on Rhea's face.

A/N:

me: i wanna add a sylvain joke  
me: writes a joke that continues on for like four pages  
me: fuck blame the fact that i had my wisdom teeth taken out and i wanted to write a silly joke to offset the fact i'm in pain holy fuck 


	4. Three Leaders and Three Houses

**A/N:** I had to go back to work this week, so I will be unable to crank out chapters with the same level of veracity I did previously :P. I haven't decided on an update day, but it will probably be Saturday or Sunday. Fun fact, I am, in fact, a school teacher. Maybe that's why I vibe so hard with canon!Byleth on such a deep level. Haha.

Byleth left her meeting with the Archbishop feeling a slightly… unhappy. She replayed over and over the way Jeralt had looked at her when she interrupted their meeting. However brief it was… He didn't seem to be happy to see the daughter he had left behind. In fact, the Bladebreaker seemed rather shocked and distraught by her appearance.

Did her existence really bring her father that much grief? Rhea often said she was the spitting image of her mother but was that really all there was to the tale? Somehow the more Byleth thought about the issue, the more the logical side of her told her it was better to just drop it. It wasn't like Jeralt had raised her- she didn't feel any type of attachment to the man. If anything, Seteth was more like a father to her than Jeralt had been.

And Rhea was like her mother. Although the Archbishop insisted that she was not Byleth's mother, and often insisted if she had to use familial terms "aunt" would be a better word. Still, Byleth couldn't deny that Rhea and Seteth were the closest people she had to parents. They had been there for all her milestones.

However, Byleth can't deny the curiosity she has for Jeralt. He was the esteemed captain of the Knight's of Seiros, and Rhea had said he had saved her life once. Still, if Jeralt had such a visceral reaction to simply being in her presence maybe it was better for Byleth to leave things be. Why cause a man she hardly knows undue stress?

A sigh tumbled out of her as she trudged down the hallway. She had other, less complicated, matters to attend to. Rhea had reiterated to Byleth the importance of choosing a house before the school term officially began, and Byleth was left fretting about the same things she'd been worrying about this morning. Her life seemed to be nothing but one anxiety after another lately. The young girl couldn't help but long to go back to being a mere errand girl for Rhea when she didn't have to worry about any of this. Everything seemed less complicated than it had been just a week ago.

_"You seem to worry a lot for someone who has relatively little troubles in life," _She heard a childlike, feminine voice chide. Byleth visibly flinched and quickly turned around to try and find the source of the woman who seemed to have read her mind.

However, the hallway was completely empty save for a few wandering feral cats, and they couldn't have possibly been the one's to scold her. Byleth frowned. She could have sworn she heard someone- a girl- right behind her…?

Byleth scans the hallway for another long moment before continuing forward- her pace somewhat quicker than before. She hadn't slept well last night and combined with the stress of everything else it wasn't hard to believe her mind was playing tricks on her. She also couldn't deny it could have been something… otherworldly. Rhea would sometimes recount tales of strange, unexplainable encounters at the monastery, and while Byleth put any stock into a few ghost stories, she couldn't help but feel a chill creep up her spine. The young woman needed to be somewhere with people, and quickly.

Her feet carried her briskly back to the dining hall. Byleth would take the mindless chatter of students over the possible whispers of the dead any day. The possibility of the upper-halls being haunted had briefly distracted her from her worries, but now that she was sitting at a table once more, her fretting was back in full force.

Perhaps it was wrong to call this feeling… anxiety. It was too extreme a word. Her training had prepared her for all manner of combat- she had faced down Seteth, Catherine, and even Rhea in combat without batting an eye. However, the idea of getting to know any of the future leaders of Fodlan on any level was enough to give her pause. Byleth hadn't exactly been prepared on how to be a normal school girl. She'd spent most of her formative years reading and reciting Scripture under Rhea's tutelage. By all rights, Byleth shouldn't have been worrying about this. Technically, she stood on the same level as the three leaders by decree of being the future Archbishop. However, she'd been ordered to keep that a secret.

Goddess above, what should she do?

_ "Just talk to them. It's really not that hard! It's certainly not worth all this fretting! Go, go! All your worrying is keeping me from my rest and I'll tolerate it no longer!"_ The same child-like feminine voice hissed out. Once again, Byleth frantically looked around, _"Don't worry about me! Just go find who you're supposed to talk to so you can stop this incessant worrying! It's so noisy!"_

_**?!**_

She had heard that. Was the stress getting to her? Was she really having such a vivid auditory hallucination? Or was a ghost really… giving her a pep talk? No, it was more likely than what she was experiencing was an auditory hallucination brought on by stress or exhaustion and it would be best to return to her room immediately, and-…

_"No, you're not going back to your room. Not until you talk to them. What are you waiting for!? Get a move on! All your stressing is making me even more tired than I already am!"_

Byleth let an anxious sigh before standing up. Well, the strange ghost-hallucination did have a point. The worst they could do was give her an odd look and walk away. It wasn't like she hadn't been on the receiving end of those before.

Her years of being one of the Archbishop's errand girls meant she wasn't completely ignorant to how the school worked. Byleth knew she would be able to tell the difference between one of the house leaders and average student by the uniform- and it was just her luck that she managed to spot the three of them huddled together- seemingly in a meeting.

_"Perhaps another time would be more appr-"_

_ "Just go! They're all together. Now is the perfect chance to introduce yourself and leave a good impression!" _

Another sigh escaped Byleth. The odd voice was right. She had been given a task by lady Rhea and she should complete it to the best of her abilities. After all, the future archbishop shouldn't be so hesitant to meet people.

Quietly, she approached the group who seemed to be enthusiastically discussing something. The closer Byleth got, the more details she could pick out of the conversation.

"Claude, I told you twice already- a sword that cuts through a mountain is not a viable answer. Even if you were to have a hero's relic for this battle, it is preposterous to think that a sword could cut through a mountain," The young woman with a red sash grumbled, an exasperated frown etched all over her delicate features.

"It's as viable as any other option you've proposed for this imaginary mock battle, Your Royalness, and while you were grumbling about my wild scheme, I've taken your base without you noticing," A man with a yellow sash said with a grin. Byleth assumed that this must have been Claude- heir to House Von Riegan. He would be the leader of the Golden Deer house this year. Then that must make the woman Edelgard von Hrsvelgarg—imperial princess to the Empire and leader of the Black Eagles.

And by the process by elimination… the blonde-haired boy with the blue sash would be Dimitri Bladdiyad.

"Don't feel too bad, Your Royalness. You did quite well in comparison to His Kingliness over there. Dimitri fell for my scheme in the first five turns."

Dimitri frowned, "Argh, well, to be fair, I should have predicted you would have done something bold like putting all of your melee units in the trees as a distraction… Although, I do wonder the practicality of it, " Dmitri murmured. He was trying to hide his frown, unlike Edelgard, "Ah, but I suppose there's only so much you can simulate of a real battle. Real battles don't always go according to plan."

"See, His Kingliness gets it," Claude winked.

"I wish you would take this seriously, Claude. If the only thing standing between you and certain death is a solid strategy to follow then- Oh?" Edelgard's eyes finally darted to Byleth who had been standing there quietly observing the match. She noticed the placement of the pieces. Edelgard's pieces had been surrounded by Claude's, but she noticed there was a startling lack of melee pieces among them.

"Use your close combat units- specifically the lancers. The reach on a halbert is a lot greater than that of a sword,- that or use your mages," Byleth chimed in. Her previous anxieties forgotten as she focused on the game. Rhea and Seteth had often made her rehearse these types of battle tactics as part of her education and they were both far more skilled than any of the pieces Claude had haphazardly scattered around the battlefield.

A look of surprise briefly crosses Edelgard's face before she looks back down at the battle map, "Ah, you're right. He's surrounded me with archers, but he left his melee units behind-"

"Hah, but the archers are hiding up in the trees-" Claude was about to flash Byleth a triumphant smirk before Byleth shook her head.

"Use the mages fire magic to set the trees alight. That will smoke them out of hiding, then in the smoke, you can use your sword units. It's a lot easier to swing a sword in the ensuing smoke than it would be to aim a bow," Byleth shot back.

Silence fell over the table. Even Claude, who had worn nothing but a playful smirk this entire time looked slightly taken aback. Apparently, Byleth had proposed an alternative that not even Claude had thought of. However, the moment of silence quickly passes and Claude lets out a laugh.

"Wow, it seems I've been outdone this time. See you

two? That's how you play a game of battle tactics," He swung his hands lazily behind his back. Dimitri looked rather perturbed by the whole proposition.

"It's a bit… brutish, but I suppose that is how real combat works. It never as simple as rehearsed battle tactics," Dimitri nodded, however, he made no attempt to hide his perturbed frown. Had what Byleth proposed truly been so strange? Both Rhea and Catherine reiterated to Byleth often enough that if the circumstances were dire enough that one should do anything to win. The enemies' lives don't matter- but your people's lives do.

She only offered a shrug to Dimitri's comment. While she had never been in real combat before, Byleth reasoned that her sparring matches with the Archbishop and Catherine were close enough real combat that she wouldn't even flinch in a real battle.

"I don't believe I've seen you around before. At least, not among the Black Eagles," Edlegard commented, "Whose house do you belong to, and might I be able to convince you to join the Black Eagles? Your grasp on tactics for a student is impressive."

"Now, now, it's only fair that the winner of our original squabble gets the chance to ask our friend to join their house first. So how about it? Wanna join the Golden Deer?" Claude winked at her. Byleth's brow furrowed. They were an easy-going group of people. That was… promising to say the least. After all, they were the future of Fódlan. If Fódlan's future leaders couldn't get along then there would be problems in the future.

"Wait…Claude's asking you to join his house then that means he doesn't have any idea who you are either. Are you a member of the Blue Lions then?" Edelgard suddenly chimed in, but Dimitri shook his head before Byleth could respond.

"No, I know for sure she's not. I would remember if such a capable tactician were in the Blue Lion's House."

Byleth wanted to shrink away from their inquiring gaze. It was uncomfortable to be put on the spot like this. Of course, the strange voice had said to make an impression. Well, Byleth had done that.

"Er… Actually, that's… why I came over to talk to you. You see… I'm not part of any house. I've been… tasked with choosing one. However I grew up within the church and I don't have a very good grasp on the politics of Fodlan, nor what life is like beyond Garreg Mach. So…" Byleth's gaze darted away.

Claude crossed his arms and a soft huff escaped him. He seemed more perplexed by the issue that Edelgard or Dimitri did. However, as quickly as Claude's suspicion had etched its way onto his face it had disappeared, replaced with an easy-going smile.

"Well, I guess it's up to us to teach you then!" Claude grinned, Edelgard and Dimitri nodded, smiling right alongside Claude. They seemed eager to teach her about their homelands, and Byleth was more than willing to learn.

The lesson about each of the three nations, and the students attending this year dragged on into the afternoon. There was a lot to go over and a lot to remember. Dimitri had given the neatest presentation on the Blue Lions, and that's when she learned that the odd fellow from earlier- Sylvain- was a member of the Blue Lions, and so was Ingrid. The Black Eagles and Golden Deer houses also seemed to have their fair share of colorful characters. Perhaps it was a good idea that Seteth had suggested she switch between the three houses during the year. Byleth couldn't help a twinge of excitement at wanting to meet them all.

She had always lived in relative isolation in the monastery, but now she had the chance to experience new people and places. It was really, finally, starting to sink in that she was a student at Garreg Mach now.

Byleth trudged down the hall towards Rhea's office. She had promised Rhea in their meeting that afternoon that she would have decided upon a house to join. While she was hesitant at first, after the house leader's compelling presentations today Byleth was certain she would be joining the Blue Lions. Dimitri seemed like a kind enough soul, and she already had some experience dealing with Sylvain. It would be easier to fit in.

Stepping inside Rhea's office, she found the Archbishop staring out the window, seemingly lost in thought. Rhea often got like this in her private time. She would stare longingly out the window and her eyes would seem present in another place or another time. Byleth often thought the Archbishop looked… rather lonely in these quiet moments.

However, before Byleth could say anything Rhea's gaze returned to the present, and a gentle smile crossed her elegant features, "Ah, welcome back, my child. Have you acquainted yourself with the House Leaders?"

Byleth nodded, "They are all… very kind. I was a bit nervous to approach people of such high standing at first, but they didn't seem bothered by a low born such as myself asking a favor of them. I have even chosen the house I want to join."

"Ah, it is most fortunate that you have made your decision as I asked. I worried you would be anxious over such a trivial decision," Rhea commented, "We have also decided which teachers will be handling each house this year. Professor Manuela and Professor Hanneman are both excellent teachers, and with Jeralt joining on as a teacher this year…" Rhea's voice trailed off.

Immediately, Byleth snapped to attention. Jeralt… was going to teach at Garreg Mach this year?

"I thought he declined, Archbishop?"

"Ah, well, after our meeting this morning, it seems he has… reconsidered. It is most fortunate. If he hadn't, the Golden Deer would be without a teacher to lead them," Rhea nodded, "So between the Divine Songstress, the Father of Crestology, and the Bladebreaker among the staff this year, I am confident you will be provided with an excellent education."

Byleth was stunned into silence. She had entered the room fully intent on joining the Blue Lions, but after learning Jeralt was to be the headteacher for the Golden Deer… Byleth found herself reconsidering her choice.

"Now, which house did you end up choosing?" Rhea stared at her expecting an answer, but Byleth no longer had one. She had thought the Blue Lions would be a good house, and Dimitri a kind leader, but…

Now she thought maybe it best to join the Golden Deer. However, Jeralt's reaction to her appearance this morning had been… not the most positive. Perhaps it would be better for her to join another house so as not to cause her father undue stress.

"Byleth? Is something wrong?"

_"You think too much. Which house do you truly wish to join in your heart of hearts? Make a decision!"_ The young girl's voice that had egged her into introducing herself to the house leader's had slammed into her head, _"You have been coddled far too much! It has made you passive and indecisive!"_ The voice harshly chided.

Byleth flinched in surprise. Rhea stared back at her, still expecting an answer, but she seemed concerned by Byleth's odd behavior. Should she… Tell Rhea of this strange voice that had been following her around all day? Perhaps Rhea would know-

"Are you an absolute fool!? Do not say something you will regret! You trust too easily!" The voice hissed. Byleth flinched once more, surprised by how insistent the voice was on hiding its presence from Lady Rhea. Byleth had never hidden anything from the Archbishop before and the thought of keeping a secret from her...

"You seem troubled, Child. Are you having second thoughts about being a student?"

Quickly, Byleth shook her head, "N...No, Lady Rhea. I think I am just… tired. It will take some time before I acclimate to being a student."

Rhea eyed her for a moment but seemed placated by the answer. It wasn't necessarily a lie. Byleth was tired, and it would take time to get used to life as a student at Garreg Mach. The logical part of her insisted that was the cause of this strange voice. Byleth would go to bed early tonight and the voice would be nothing but a distant memory tomorrow.

"Have you chosen the house you will be joining then?" Rhea's voice broke the silence that fell between him. Byleth nodded. As concerning as the little girl's voice was, she had insisted that Byleth choose the house she wanted to join the most and not worry about the formalities. Choose now, iron out the problems later. The strange voice had been right- she had become far too indecisive for her liking.

"...I want to join the Golden Deer, Lady Rhea."

A gentle smile etched its way on the Archbishop's ephemeral features. However, it's a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"Somehow, I knew that's who you would choose."

A/N: Live your best life or Sothis will come and yell at you is really all I have to say! It was kind of a slow chapter, but not every chapter has to involve Rhea stealing a baby, SO. Also I noticed this was the second chapter that's just ended with Rhea passive aggressively smiling at Byleth and she's gonna do that a lot.


	5. The Bladebreaker's Apprentice

A/N: Wowee it's been awhile! I meant to update this awhile ago, but life got weird as heck and I just kept forgetting to write. I'm basically off work till like… August probably? That or I have to find a new job. Either way, I have more time to write and will try and set aside some time to write every day. As always, thank you so much for the support! It's very much appreciated! :)

The next few days past without real incident. There was a lot of paperwork involved, or rather, there was a lot of paperwork that Seteth handled while Byleth absentmindedly signed her name. Apparently, despite her unique position, Byleth was not exempt from the bureaucracy of the monastery. Luckily, Seteth was capable of handling everything which left Byleth with little to do before classes formally started in a few days.

She should have been busier than she was. Instead, she was left waiting, and that seemed to fill her with a sense of anxiety. Byleth couldn't quite call it excitement because there was always this looming sense of worry that gnawed at the back of her mind. She didn't know how to be an ordinary girl and to suddenly be expected to play the role of one left her rehearsing every single what-if scenario in her mind. The task given to her by Lady Rhea had been to make friends and learn, but that was less of a concrete task and more… a vague goal.

She had too much free time to mull on her anxieties while she waiting for classes to start that Byleth had taken it upon herself to spend a good portion of the last few days buried in a book to brush up on the basics of combat. It didn't matter that Byleth had been personally tutored by Rhea and Catherine in the art of combat- Byleth just needed to keep her mind busy. Rhea would let her know when everything was taken care of. She always did. However, mulling over how anxious she had been brought another curious worry to the forefront- the strange voice that Byleth had heard the day she was meant to pick her house. It had been so insistent that she make a decision and stop worrying so much, but since that day Byleth hadn't heard the girl again. Perhaps it truly had been exhaustion getting to her.

Or maybe it really was a ghost…

Byleth shuddered at the thought. She wasn't afraid of ghosts per se, but she found the thought a little unnerving.

She flipped the page of the old tome she'd been reading, but, truthfully, she hadn't absorbed anything she had read. The word's danced together on the page as Byleth spiraled down a rabbit hole of worry. A sigh escaped her as she slammed the tome shut and returned the book to its place on the shelf. Clearly, reading was no longer helping her escape her worries. Maybe some fresh air would do her well.

Byleth stepped out of the library and squinted as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight filtering in from the windows. She could hear the distant chatter of students in the distance. It was only a few days until classes began and the monastery had become crowded with students excited to be at Garreg Mach. It wasn't something Byleth hadn't experienced before, but this year she wasn't simply Rhea's errand girl. Her eyes glanced out the window to the sparring yard. It was probably busy now that the students were there. Perhaps she could find a sparring partner that wasn't Catherine-

"-But why, Captain Jeralt?!" A shout echoed from the infirmary and Byleth found herself snapping to attention. The voice had mentioned Jeralt, hadn't it? Then her father was around! The logical voice in Byleth's head screamed that she shouldn't bother her father and to keep as far away from him as possible, but the other voice- the one that won out- was curious who was shouting at her father so indignantly.

Quietly she approached the infirmary and peaked her head in. There her father sat on a chair next to a bed with his back to the wall. He appeared to be talking to another young woman with bright orange hair and tanned skin. Her body was well built. She had seen some measure of combat, but what stood out the most was the number of bandages that seemed to cover the portions of her body that Byleth could see. Byleth reasoned there had to have been more under the blankets.

"-Why did you suddenly change your mind?! What did the Archbishop say?! You have always been adamant that you would never rejoin the Church of Seiros, but one meeting with the Archbishop and you suddenly want to teach?" The woman hissed out.

A long pause follows before her father speaks, "I told you, Leonie, something has come up. I thought it was best to settle down for a while. The church is offering to feed and clothe us, and they even said you could join the group of brats I'd be teaching. It's a good deal. You can get a formal education and become more than a sellswo-"

"I don't **need** some fancy education, Captain!" The other girl protested bitterly, "I want **you **to continue your lessons as you always have!"

Byleth frowned. Wasn't she arguing a moot point? If she joined Garreg Mach then she could continue under Jeralt with no issue. If Byleth had to reason a guess…

_ "My, my she really doesn't want to share, does she?"_ A familiar girl's voice pierced her thoughts and Byleth jumped. Was she hallucinating again?! Why did this keep happening? In her panic, she lost her balance and stumbled into the infirmary, landing hard on the tile floor. Suddenly, both Jeralt and Leonie had their eyes fixed on Byleth.

Jeralt's expression was unreadable, but something akin to shock, and then anger flashed in Leonie's eyes. Oh, they were probably angry. She had been eavesdropping after all. Quickly, Byleth straightened out her posture, "I… apologize for eavesdropping. I had been looking for Professor Jeralt, and then I heard yelling. I saw Professor Jeralt, but you seemed busy discussing something, so I thought it would be rude to intrude."

That… was a decent enough excuse, right? And it was hardly a lie. She hadn't necessarily been actively looking for him, but she couldn't help but passively look for her father no matter where she was. Byleth had so many questions to ask him, but she was hesitant to ask them. So, she'd just… be content to watch him from a distance until she plucked up the courage to talk to him. That was a satisfactory way to deal with this situation, right?

"So, do you make it a habit of eavesdropping on people then?" Leonie shot back at Byleth, hostility lacing her tone so clearly that Byleth was caught off guard. No one in the monastery had ever been openly hostile with her- no one would dare- she was one of Rhea's understudies. There's a feeling welling up in her chest that Byleth doesn't recognize, but it's uncomfortable and she doesn't like it.

"Leonie," Jeralt said. His tone is even, but Leonie seems to pick something up that Byleth can't. They were very close. It was like how she could pick up the subtleties of Rhea's tones over the years. How similar Jeralt and Rhea had to have been then- they didn't openly wear their emotions on their face, but their feelings were betrayed in their voices, "We'll continue this discussion later. I have to finish some paperwork anyway," Her father stood, and only spared her a passing glance as he walked out of the room.

Then Leonie and Byleth were left in silence. Leonie's glare hadn't dissipated, in fact, it had only intensified after Jeralt left. Byleth was left in stunned silence, "...So, you're the apprentice Seteth had mentioned, right? The one who saved Edelgard?" Byleth tried to grasp at straws for some measure of conversation. She had made a bad first impression, but if this young lady was important to her father- she should perhaps get to know her.

"Yeah," She said flatly, her glare didn't soften a bit, and Byleth thought that was fair. She had just stumbled into a heated argument with her mentor after all. However, being on the receiving end of such a nasty look was uncomfortable- not even Catherine had glared at her with such intensity after learning Byleth was going to be the next Archbishop.

Another uncomfortable silence followed and Byleth tried to look anywhere by Leonie's heated gaze.

"If you held your own against a band of bandits, you must be an excellent fighter," Byleth tried to grasp for some measure of conversation. Perhaps a compliment would do! "I… would love to spar with you sometime if you end up staying at the monastery."

"—We aren't staying here. As soon as I can convince the Captain to come to his senses we're leaving. He's much happier as a sellsword than he is teaching a bunch of bratty nobles how to hold a sword or leading the Knights of Seiros. That much, I'm sure of," Her voice sounded unbelievably harsh, "I don't care what your Archbishop says. He's not going to be happy here," Leonie hissed out before finally turning away indicating that she was done with this conversation and that she had no intention of even trying to be friendly with Byleth.

Byleth didn't know what she was more upset over- Leonie's attitude or the idea that her father could be so easily convinced to leave the monastery without a word. Ah, but that… wasn't out of character for him, was it? He had abandoned her to the care of the Archbishop before, hadn't he? He could do it again. After all, it wasn't like he saw Byleth as his daughter, right? Jeralt had seemed more off-put by his presence than anything. Maybe Leonie was right. Maybe he would disappear before he even started teaching.

Byleth ducked out of the infirmary without another word. The encounter leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

_"You know, I don't think what that Leonie girl is saying is that simple, nor are you as okay with Jeralt leaving as you are trying to convince yourself to be," _The tiny voice chimed in. Was this her hallucinations attempt at being comforting? Goddess, this was such a bad way to deal with the stress of the last few days.

Byleth had enough of this farce.

_ "Like a stress-induced hallucination would know how I feel- especially when not even I know how I feel,"_ She thought back bitterly. Byleth swears she could hear the hallucination huff indignantly. Goddess, she was losing it wasn't she? She'd been so sheltered by Rhea that now the slightest bit of stress was causing her to vividly hallucinate her subconscious.

_"You're quite rude! I'm no hallucination! But you on the other hand- are a complacent, overthinking, brat who has had everything handed to her! You would do well to be taught a lesson in the ways of the world!"_ She huffed.

Suddenly, Byleth wasn't standing in the monastery anymore. She blinked and the monastery had all but faded away to a dank and dusty crypt. There a small figure sat on a throne. Tresses of long green hair cascaded down past her shoulders and she met Byleth's gaze with an emerald gaze of her own. She bore similar features to the rest of her adoptive family- and they were features she had seen nowhere else. Her dress was an elegant purple with a pattern along the edges- although Byleth thought it looked a bit dated. She could have sworn she had seen such a dress in a book somewhere.

But that wasn't important now.

If this was all a hallucination- it was becoming quite vivid. If she truly was losing her mind then this must have been the final descent into madness or something-

_"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm __**not**__ a hallucination,"_ She huffed back at Byleth. It had become apparent that whatever or whoever this was, she could read Byleth's thoughts and emotions. Perhaps better than she could read her own, _"I am Sothis. Among other things, I am also called… The Beginning."_

Byleth's mind went blank for a moment.

_Sothis?_

_**As in the Goddess Sothis?**_


	6. Turning Back the Hands of Time

_**A/N:**__ There are a few small headcanons littered here and there with this chapter. I tried to double-check with the source material to make sure there was nothing contradictory to it, but I could have missed something. If that's the case, I apologize! But, we're gonna roll with it even if that's the case. As always, thank you very much for all the support. :)_

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This couldn't be happening- this couldn't be _real_. The child she was staring out couldn't possibly the Goddess Sothis. She could recite the tale of Sothis by heart because Rhea had made her read it so much. This… this _child _looked nothing like her! Byleth had to be imagining this whole thing. Byleth hesitantly took a step back as anxiety made her stomach twist.

_"First, you think me a hallucination- then you call me a Goddess- now I'm a **child?!** You are quite rude indeed!"_ Sothis hissed before rising from the stone throne, "And yet, I can sense fear welling in your gut. You don't know what to do, and you're too afraid to act. That seems to be a problem with you," The green-haired goddesses' gaze met Byleth's and her brow furrowed.

Byleth didn't like that this…_being_… could read her thoughts and feelings better than she could. She felt that every natural reaction to this situation was being turned back on her- and if there was one Byleth hated- it was her emotions being used against her. She had worked all her life to temper her feelings so such a thing wouldn't happen, but this "Sothis" was privy to all her internal thoughts and feelings. There was nothing Byleth could hide from her, and that terrified her.

_"Forgive me if I'm being rude, but it's a little hard to believe…"_ Byleth mustered out a small retort, but it didn't have nearly the bite it did when she'd first snapped at Sothis. Instead, an underlying sense of fear laced her tone, and Byleth hated that. The future Archbishop should never show weakness to anyone- not even to beings claiming to be the Goddess, "You can't be Sothis."

_"Why can't I be Sothis? That is my name. Or are you going to call **that **a hallucination too?"_ Sothis hissed out while her expression grew angrier by the minute.

_"It's just that… Lady Rhea says that Sothis watches us from her kingdom above. If you're Sothis then why are you…**here**?"_ Byleth asked as she tried to word her question very carefully as not to upset the child even more, "Wouldn't it be easier to just believe that none of this is real?"

Sothis crossed her arms and her frown deepened. However, it didn't seem that this frown was aimed at Byleth. It seemed to be the result of an internal struggle- one that Byleth wasn't privy too. Byleth found it slightly irritating that Sothis could read her internal thoughts and feelings, but she couldn't do the same to Sothis in return.

After a long pause, Sothis opened her eyes and stared back down at Byleth, _"Perhaps I simply share a name? Is it common for people to name their children after a Goddess?"_ Sothis asked, but Byleth couldn't help but gawk at such a simple question. Anyone who had spent any bit of time in the church knew that the name of the Goddess was something afforded to only a few people within the church at any given time. The people who knew Sothis' name right now were Lady Rhea, Seteth, Flayn, and Byleth, and maybe a few higher bishops in the church. Lady Rhea had been very insistent that Sothis be referred to as 'the Goddess' and nothing else. She had claimed that to use the Goddesses' name was disrespectful.

_"No, that's not possible. The church wouldn't allow it. The fact that you don't even know that…"_ Byleth murmured. Could this really be a hallucination of her own creation? If it was privy to her own knowledge, Sothis would **know** that. Byleth had memorized church doctrine when she was only a child. She knew the rules like the back of her hand.

_"You're thinking me a hallucination again, aren't you? Well, what if I could **prove **I was real?"_ Sothis frowned, "Would you believe me then?"

_"I would have no choice, but how do you intend to-"_ Byleth stopped mid-sentence as Sothis gleefully clapped her hands together and a triumphant laugh escaped her.

_"Easy! I shall turn back the hand of time! You'll believe me then, yes?"_

She intended to do _**what**_ now? No one should be able to turn back the hand of time- well, if she really was the Goddess then maybe she could? The religious texts were vague on the extent of the Goddesses' powers.

But, before Byleth could ask a single question she was standing in front of the door to the infirmary again almost as if the little girl had been a dream.

"I don't **need **some fancy education, Captain!" Leonie protested and Byleth stumbled backward away from the door out of shock. Either she was experiencing a severe sense of deja vu or the hand of time had truly been turned back. Then… that meant… the green-haired child was no hallucination. Whether or not she was Sothis was another matter, but…

Quickly she stepped away from the door. Byleth remembered how bitterly Leonie acted when she learned Byleth had been eavesdropping. She shouldn't be here. She should be telling Lady Rhea that she's seeing a little girl named Sothis in her head and that this child seemingly had the power to turn back time. That was something the Archbishop should know and maybe she could make some sense of it.

To say she was more scared than she'd ever been wouldn't have been an understatement. Byleth had never been very in touch with her emotions, and any emotions she did feel she tried to hide. However, this situation was eliciting such a visceral terror in her heart. She didn't know what was going on and didn't know where to start.

Byleth darted away from the infirmary. Suddenly, befriending Leonie and talking to her father seemed like such minuscule concerns. Now, her chief concern was finding Rhea.

_"You need not be so terrified. I have no intention of hurting you, but do you believe I am no mere hallucination?" _Sothis suddenly chimed in and Byleth felt her heart skip a beat in her chest. How was she supposed to respond to this?

_"I… I don't know. If you really are the Goddess then why am I suddenly hearing you now? Why are you here? What do you want from me?" _Byleth's thought back, and she could almost imagine Sothis' frown etching itself across her features.

_"If I am this Goddess of which you speak then that answers one question, but leaves us with so many more. How frustrating," _Byleth could hear the frustration in Sothis' tone, _"I thought that, perhaps, you would be of more help than you are, but I suppose you are just as confused as I am."_

Byleth couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated at Sothis. How was she supposed to know anything? Up until yesterday, Byleth had been more concerned with trying to figure out how to be a normal girl and make friends. Now, she was trying to make sense of why she could hear the voice of the Goddess!

Sothis, seeming to read Byleth's thoughts chimed up once more, _"Oh, I did not mean to be rude. It is just… My memory is hazy at best. I thought you might provide an answer as to why our souls are connected as they are. But, it seems you are just as confused as I am. You see, I was… asleep until quite recently."_

_"Asleep?"_

_"Yes, but all your incessant worrying over how to make friends and what to do about your father woke me up. In fact, it gave me a headache," _Sothis huffed, _"Why do you stress over such trivial things?"_

Byleth didn't dignify that with a response as she trudged up the stairs to Rhea's office. Rhea would know what to do. Byleth probably wasn't the first person to claim to hear the voice of the Goddess. A simple talk with her would sort all of this out. Besides, Rhea had often stressed to her as a child that Byleth should keep nothing from her. Byleth owed it to her after Rhea had taken her in, raised her, and given her an education after her father had abandoned her. Byleth owed a debt to Rhea that could never truly be repaid.

_"Do you really have such faith that the Archbishop will be able to sort this all out? I've noticed you seem to have a sort of…__**unwavering**__ faith in her," _Sothis commented. There's hesitation in her tone. It was so odd that the Goddess would be hesitant about one of her own, especially if the Goddess was rumored to watch over Fodlan. However, if Sothis' memories were hazy and she'd been asleep all this time maybe it was buried in the memories that had been lost?

_"I… don't have any better ideas. This isn't a problem that can be cured with healing magic," _Byleth responded back. Byleth wasn't afraid to tell Rhea of what was going on, but she was afraid the Archbishop wouldn't believe her. All she had ever sought was Rhea's approval and if she did something that was to make Rhea unhappy with her…

Byleth shook the thought off and trudged down the long hall to her office. A few of the nuns were darting in and out with paperwork, but they paid Byleth no mind. Classes would start tomorrow and that meant there were many loose ends to tie. Unfortunately, instead of worrying about that, Byleth had to worry about Sothis.

Byleth meekly knocked on the door, "Lady Rhea?"

Lady Rhea had been standing near the window and gazing out at the courtyard below. She had always enjoyed people watching, but the Archbishop always seemed so forlorn in these moments. However, as soon as she steps in Rhea snaps to attention and greets her with a gentle smile just as she had always done.

"Ah, Byleth. Do come in. I was just about to have my afternoon tea. I would relish in some company," She smiled before walking away from the window and sitting down at her desk. It was clear Rhea had been in the middle of some paperwork which wasn't uncommon for the Archbishop, but usually, she left many of those duties to Seteth, "I apologize for the mess. We're in the middle of sorting through requests to the church. Some of these will be given to the students as fieldwork, but we have to decide what is suitable for the students and which should be given to the Knights of Seiros," Rhea sighed. She sounded tired- no, she** looked** tired too_._ Byleth could make out dark circles under her eyes. It was a rare sight to see the Archbishop so exhausted. Normally, Rhea didn't have a hair out of place.

"Shouldn't Uncle Seteth be helping you with this? I feel like this is normally his job?"

The soft laugh that suddenly tumbled out of Rhea told Byleth all she needed to know. It obviously had something to do with Flayn. In all the years she had known Seteth there was one thing that was a constant: his undying love for his sister. He would drop everything if Flayn asked him to do something for her. Byleth had no doubt that the reason Seteth had left Rhea with all this paperwork was that Flayn had asked for something.

"To my understanding, Flayn wanted some of her favorite candies. He's most certainly checking every shop in town right now hoping they have some. He'll return when he's found them," Rhea chuckled softly. Byleth couldn't help but also smile softly. However, it doesn't last long. She has to ask about the Goddess- and she somehow has to pluck up the courage to tell Rhea that she's suddenly hearing the voice of a child named 'Sothis' and that 'Sothis' had the power to turn back the hand of time.

Her gut twisted. Should she just come right out and say it? Would Rhea even believe her? Perhaps it was best to ease into the bold confession. After all, hearing the voice of the Goddess meant she was… like Saint Seiros. It was a bold claim for someone who had never been outside the walls of Garreg Mach, and it was not one she could make lightly.

"Lady Rhea, forgive me. I didn't come here to join you for tea, but to ask you some… questions," Byleth asked. She hated the hesitancy in her tone. She had no reason to distrust Rhea, but the consequences of what she was about to say frightened her, "...About the Goddess, I mean."

Rhea blinked. She seemed caught off guard that Byleth suddenly wanted an impromptu religious lesson, "Do you? And what might they be?"

Byleth shifted. Her gaze darted nervously down to her hands as she tried to figure out the right way to word the question without it being suspicious, "I just… I was wondering… have any other people claimed to hear the voice of the Goddess other than Saint Seiros? The church texts are remarkably unclear on the matter. In fact, besides what the official Church doctrine says on the matter… Texts regarding the Goddess are very few and far between on the matter. I was just… curious, I guess."

A long silence followed. Rhea looked as if she was thinking deeply about something. However, Rhea finally spoke, her brow furrowed, "Yes, there have been people who claimed to hear the voice of the Goddess."

Byleth heard the subtle hint of anger in Rhea's voice. No doubt that her position as Archbishop meant she took such claims personally.

"And… what happened to them?" Byleth asked, but her gut twisted. She had a feeling she knew what Rhea was about to say.

"They were executed as heretics. To use the Goddesses' voice to threaten the church or for personal gain is an unforgivable sin that the church will not tolerate," Rhea responded, but this time the anger in her voice was much more present than it had been. In fact, Byleth is certain that this is the angriest that she had ever seen Rhea. However, her anger faded quickly and she simply sighed, "Forgive me. Heretics who claim to know the will of the Goddess are… their blasphemy deeply angers me."

An uncomfortable silence fell between them, and it is ultimately Sothis that broke the silence.

_"Well... isn't that a most __**unpleasant**__ revelation?"_

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Fun fact, the alternative ending to this chapter was just Sothis going "yikes" cause that's my brand of humor. Lol


	7. Partners

A/N: This is a rather short chapter. In truth, it was longer, but I decided to cut it into two separate chapters so the pacing worked a little bit better. In any case, I am kind of blown away by the amount of attention this tiny au received from people. Thank you very much for your support! It really means a lot! Twelve year old me writing self insert Harvest Moon fanfiction would be totally blown away by the amount of attention this fic has gotten. Haha, I hope I made her proud. :P

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An uncomfortable silence had settled between Rhea and Byleth. Heretics, who claimed to hear the Goddess, were executed as traitors. So, did that mean hearing the voice of a little girl named Sothis suddenly make her a heretic? Byleth cast her gaze downward and balled her hands into fists.

"Byleth is something wrong? You've lost all color in your face-" Rhea paused before her eyes narrowed, "Is there something you needed to tell me?"

Byleth swallowed, trying to find the right words. She should tell Rhea about Sothis, but if she did, then… She would be executed, but Lady Rhea had always insisted that she never keep any secrets from her! That's all she had ever asked of Byleth!

Conflict, confusion, and anxiety had settled in Byleth's stomach for at least the third time today. Or was it the second since Sothis sent her back in time? Byleth inhaled for a moment, thinking of her training to keep her composure. Despite everything, she was still the future Archbishop. If she broke down here, what would Lady Rhea think?

"It's…" Byleth was about to spill everything before Sothis' voice slammed into her skull.

_"Are you a complete and _**_utter fool?!_**_ You've just been told that heretics who claim to know the will of the Goddess are _**_executed_**_, and yet you still wish to tell her?! Do you have _**_rocks_**_ for brains?! I swear you're absolutely hopeless!"_ Sothis hissed out angrily. Byleth felt a headache coming on.

"Byleth?" Rhea clearly found her behavior strange but seemed content to let Byleth answer in her own time. However, the Archbishop promptly stood up, walked around, and placed a delicate hand to Byleth's forehead.

It's a gesture Rhea often did when Byleth was a little girl. The Archbishop seemed to have always been concerned that Byleth would become sickly like her mother, even though Byleth had always been a healthy child, "You don't seem to have a fever. That's good."

"N...No, Lady Rhea. I think I'm just tired. It's been a busy few days. It's… All the stress is probably just catching up with me," Byleth stammered out a half-hearted excuse for her behavior. Rhea frowned, but the Archbishop seemed placated by the answer for now.

"Well, make sure you rest well today. Seteth is already beside himself with worry. If your health deteriorated because of stress, I would never hear the end of it," Rhea chuckled before returning to her seat across from Byleth, "However, if you have any more questions about the Goddess, I would be more than happy to answer them for you. It's quite unusual for you to ever ask me something so specific."

Byleth shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Rhea was right, Byleth had a tendency to not ask questions about… anything really. Byleth hadn't even bothered to ask about her mother or father. She hadn't felt the need to. After all, Jeralt had fled the monastery, and Sitri was dead and gone.

"Yes, Lady Rhea. I'll… take my leave now," Byleth hastily stood up and made for the door. She needed to get away from Rhea's prying gaze. She had just lied to **_Lady Rhea_**\- something Byleth promised she would **_never_** do. The only thought that swirled through Byleth's head was whether or not Rhea knew Byleth lied and if she cared. She should have told the truth! She should have…!

_"I believe you did the right thing by lying. Something about the Archbishop is…"_ Sothis paused, _"I do not think she should be trusted in this matter. There is… something about her words that do not seem entirely sincere. I can't place it, but…"_ Sothis seemed troubled, but then let out an exasperated sigh_, "This would not be nearly so frustrating if I could remember something beyond my own name!" _

Byleth trudged down the hall with a frown etched deep into her face. Sothis had convinced her to lie to Rhea and the way she spoke of the Archbishop… Could she really be the Goddess? Would the Goddess really be so suspicious of those in her service? Perhaps this entity was something far more malevolent merely masquerading as the Goddess, and…

_ "_**_Hey!_**_ You just thought something bad about me again, didn't you? Your manners are absolutely atrocious!" _Sothis hissed, and Byleth jumped. Right, Sothis could read her thoughts… No place was safe anymore. Byleth could feel Sothis glowering at her a few moments, but then let out a sigh,_ "In any case, I feel like it would be most prudent to keep my presence a secret for now- if you have any interest in keeping your head that is."_

Byleth frowned. Weren't they giving up on this problem before really trying to find a solution to it?

_"There are other people I could ask… Maybe Uncle Seteth or Flayn…?"_

_"Wouldn't they both have to tell her? You aren't thinking about the bigger picture here," _Sothis shot back. Byleth winced. She was right. Despite how much she trusted and cared for both Seteth and Flayn… Seteth would have to tell Rhea and Flayn…

Well, Flayn couldn't keep a secret to save her life. She was notorious for accidentally revealing a secret and then desperately trying to backtrack with a lousy lie. No, it wasn't a good idea to tell either of them.

_"Then what am I supposed to do…?"_ Byleth lamented. She couldn't exactly leave this situation be, could she?

_"I think the best place to start would be with trying to recover my missing memories. I will have a clearer picture of what I am if I can get even a fragment of those back. Unfortunately, trying to recover memories is difficult when I have no physical body, but that's where you come in!" _Sothis exclaimed gleefully,_ "We could be partners, you and I!"_

_"Partners…? I don't know about that… It just seems like you want me to track down your missing memories_**_ for_**_ you..." _

_"Oh, no! Not at all! In exchange, I'll lend you some of my power and council. You seem like you could use it given how much your overthink things…"_ There was a momentary pause before the strange entity continued, _"...Or you don't think about things _**_enough_**_ in some cases."_

Byleth rolled her eyes at the last comment. No doubt, Sothis seemed concerned about her relationship with Rhea. However, despite Sothis' lingering suspicions of Rhea, Byleth couldn't find any overwhelming flaws in Sothis' proposition. After all, it was far better to make an ally of the strange entity that could turn back time than an enemy. There was no telling how much control Sothis actually had over Byleth's body or mind.

_"Fine, but I have one request of you, Sothis."_

_"Oh, you used my name! This is an excellent start! What do you need?"_

_**"Stop reading my thoughts."**  
_


	8. Lilacs and Gravestones

**A/N:** Whew, this chapter took a long time to get out for a couple of reasons. Usually, I just write the chapter and go from there. What I wanted to do was sit and write everything out because that's usually better form. Unfortunately, I just... never did? So this sat in the google docs for a long time just sort of gathering dust. Additionally, I guess I sort of just got stage fright. This got way more attention than I thought it would, and that's great! But also I didn't expect that and writing out the next chapter got a lot harder because I became super anxious. x'D! I don't wanna disappoint anyone with my mediocre writing! I thought it over a lot and then just decided: _"I'm going to write the story I want to write. If people like it, they like it; if they don't they don't! You can't please everyone, lol"_. You would think that wouldn't be such a hard lesson to learn and we're all here for funsies, but I live in maximum clown hours constantly, so... Haha.

Thank you for your patience and support as always. I really appreciate it!

**8/3/2020 Update**: Some grammar fixes.

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_-29th of the Great Tree Moon_

The investigation into who or what Sothis was continued in earnest any time Byleth had a moment to spare. However, the books in the library contained little information on Sothis and her abilities. They each reiterated the same tired old story that Byleth had heard a million times, and that was recited every single time she was forced to sit through a sermon for a holiday.

It wasn't what she needed, but really, did she even know what she was looking for at this point? After all, if Byleth believed that Sothis wasn't the Goddess and just some phantom- why did she have the power to turn back time? If Sothis was the Goddess, why was her soul intertwined with hers? None of it made a single bit of sense. In fact, why did the supposed Goddess - the mother of all life- the arbiter of every soul- look like a **child**?! One could argue that divine beings can just choose what they look like, but… Somehow, the Goddess wanting to look like a child didn't make any sense.

Byleth expected a quip back from Sothis, but her strange companion had remained rather silent since their meeting with Rhea. Her presence came and went, like a lingering phantom in a deserted mansion. It made trying to figure out what she was that much more frustrating. Byleth couldn't even ask her if what she was reading was correct or jogged any memories.

But figuring out who Sothis was had to be put on hold for now. Today was the first day of classes at Garreg Mach. She would be meeting the rest of the Golden Deer today and formally introduce herself to her father. Byleth was surprised she'd been able to keep calm up until now, but she owed much of that to her training- and her ability to prioritize what life-changing situation to stress over at the moment.

The young woman took a deep breath and gave herself one last look over in the mirror in her room, making sure to smooth out any wrinkles in her uniform. Not a hair could be out of place; after all, Byleth was supposed to making an impression, right? If she was indeed supposed to be the next Archbishop, Byleth was sure that she had to carry herself with as much grace and poise as Lady Rhea did- never letting a single emotion show on her face. She-

_ "You know- if you get any more stone-faced, you_**_ might_**_ be mistaken for golem,"_ Sothis suddenly chimed in, and Byleth practically slammed into the mirror from jumping. Sothis only response was to giggle. Byleth frowned, trying to smooth out the out of place hairs, "Nervous for your first day, I take it?" Sothis hummed. Byleth could feel the young girl staring at her from behind. It was odd. She couldn't see Sothis most of the time, but Byleth always had a vague awareness of where she was, "Don't worry. I said I'd help you out, didn't I?"

Byleth couldn't help but frown, _"Have you… ever even had friends, Sothis?"_ Byleth turned to face Sothis. She saw nothing, but felt her presence regardless, _"And nice of you to show up now of all times instead of… I don't know… when I'm in the library reading tome after tome trying to help you figure out who you are."_

_"Look, it is not my fault those tomes are so outrageously boring that they put me right to sleep,"_ Sothis huffed, _"And I do not remember anything, so how can I remember having friends?"_

_"So how could you possibly help me?"_ Byleth groaned. Somehow, talking with Sothis just seemed to exasperate her. She didn't think she would ever get used to some strange voice popping in and out to make witty commentary.

_"I mean, it was me that pushed you to talk to the three House Leaders and to make a choice on which House to decide. Oh! And my powers also helped in that situation with your father and Leonie! If anything, I have more than proven how useful I am!"_

Byleth… couldn't argue that. Despite everything, Sothis had helped quite a deal in helping her come to a decision about things. Something was comforting about being forced to make a decision and not have to run over everything in her head a million times. Well, at the very least, even if she didn't make any friends, she still had someone to talk to- even if the circumstances were rather strange.

_"I guess so,"_ Byleth sighed, resigned that she had to admit that Sothis was right. However, she wasn't exactly pleased to have to admit that this odd phantom had better social skills than she did. It was… a rather rude awakening to just how sheltered she'd been up to this point. It left a bitter taste in her mouth.

_"In any case, I'm not here to reiterate our agreement. I'm here to wish you good luck on your first day. You have been worrying about it incessantly. I am more than confident you will be fine!"_ Byleth could hear the excitement in Sothis' voice. It was… odd to hear such words of encouragement from Sothis given their bizarre situation, but it wasn't unwelcome. In fact, Byleth rather appreciated the well-wishes. It reminded her of the way Seteth had encouraged her when Byleth was younger or the way Flayn had been happy when Byleth had told her she was going to be a student.

In fact, there was… a lot of little ways Sothis reminded Byleth of her adoptive family, and not just the fact they all seemed to have such oddly colored hair and eyes.

Byleth paused. Maybe Sothis wasn't a ghost, but… a distant ancestor of Rhea, Seteth, and Flayn? The resemblance was there, and that would make more sense than her being the Goddess- it would have also explained her presence in the monastery. However, while the theory fit in some places- it left more holes in others. She didn't appear to be of childbearing age; thus, she couldn't have had descendants.

Byleth shelved the thought for now. It was something to ponder later when she didn't have her own family issues to deal with. Her father was going to be her teacher, and that… Well, Byleth was still unsure of how to approach Jeralt. However, she kept Sothis' encouragement close to her heart. It was much needed.

_"Thanks, Sothis,"_ Byleth smiled softly. However, when the phantom did not respond, Byleth reasoned she was alone once more. Sothis would speak if she had something to say, but it was impossible to prompt her if she didn't wish to talk. She gave herself one more look over in the mirror and headed out.

There was a stillness to Garreg Mach in the hours of the early morning. One could hear the birds chirping and the distant chanting of monks praying to the Goddess. It was always peaceful, and because of that, Byleth held a particular fondness for this time of day. Rhea would sit and have tea on the balcony outside her office, and Byleth would sit with her just… enjoying the stillness of the morning. Occasionally, Seteth or Flayn would join them, and it would be less quiet because they were much more talkative than Rhea or Byleth. Flayn especially always seemed to chatter on like she had so much to say and so little time to say it. It was odd but never unwelcome.

Byleth had decided to take a brief detour on her way to see Rhea. It was somewhat out of the way, but she had time. And she justified to herself that today was an important day to go out of her way to see her mother. She trudged down the stairs to the cemetery, fully intent on keeping the visit brief- she was not one to linger by her mother's grave and tell her grand stories of what she'd been up to. Byleth wasn't nearly so sentimental, especially over a woman she had never met. However, Rhea had always encouraged her to visit her mother. When she was little, the Archbishop practically dragged her here and retold stories of her mother and father to her with the most somber look on her face. Rhea would often lament about how sad it was to lose your mother at such a young age.

Byleth hadn't understood it then, and to some extent- she still didn't understand, but it was an experience that had made an impression on Byleth. So, if only to appease the Archbishop in some odd way, she visited Sitri's grave every so often. The young woman would often sit in silence- staring at the name etched onto the grave. Byleth imagined what her mother would have been like from the stories that Rhea had told her.

It was the only real link she had to her mother.

But as she trudged down the steps to the cemetery, Byleth found she wasn't alone. Jeralt was standing there wistfully staring down at the grave lost in thought. In his hands, a flower he'd plucked from the garden. Byleth… stopped and stared for a moment before clearing her throat. Her father seemed to jerk back from whatever memory he seemed to be reliving and turned to face Byleth.

Instantly, Byleth felt the atmosphere become tense and awkward.

"Um," Byleth was at a loss for what to say. She had clearly interrupted a private moment, but she hadn't expected Jeralt to be here, "That's a nice flower. Is it for mom?" Byleth asked as she quietly approached her father.

The silence between them stretches on for far longer than Byleth would have liked. She wished Sothis was here to help her find something to break the silence, but as usual, she was nowhere to be found when her input would have been most helpful. Jeralt seemed torn on what to say. He looked to Byleth and then to Sitri's grave and then back to Byleth before a sigh escaped him.

"It is. Lilacs were her favorite," Jeralt finally offered up. It wasn't much, but it was a lot more than their previous encounters had ever allowed for. Usually, he just stormed off without a word. Byleth couldn't help but be the tiniest bit pleased that she had managed to have the smallest exchange with her father. Despite the awkward atmosphere, it was… a development! She wasn't going to let this opportunity to talk with her father go, and so she grabbed at another subject to talk about with him.

"I heard you were teaching the Golden Deer this year."

"I am."

"I… decided to join your class."

"I know."

"..."

"..."

His curt and short answers only put Byleth on edge. She felt like she was doing something wrong, and any attempts at talking with him were just… annoying him. It… wasn't a good feeling. Was she really such a burden on her father? Maybe he hadn't run away from Garreg Mach out of grief- perhaps he just didn't want to be a father. However, as Byleth tries to suppress the twisting knife of emotion in her gut Jeralt finally says something unprompted, "Look, kid, I think I owe you an apology."

"Huh?"

Out of all the things she had expected, Jeralt to say it wasn't… that. What did he have to apologize for? He… hadn't done anything wrong? Well, not recently anyway. Abandoning your baby daughter to the care of the church wasn't a good move, but Byleth had thought her father would never apologize for that.

"I'm not exactly great at conversation as you can tell, and since I've been back at the monastery, I haven't exactly been… the most approachable person, and I…" He inhales, and there is another pause as if he's trying to find the right words to say, "Look, I don't know what the Archbishop told you about me, but-"

Byleth chimed in before he had a chance to finish, "She said you were the strongest out of the Knights of Seiros! And that you saved her life from assassins once! She told me that your bravery and skill in battle were beyond compare!"

Jeralt seemed… taken aback by her words, to say the least. It almost seemed like he was expecting Byleth to say something… different?

"I see," He finally said. Jeralt was back to curt, one or two-word answers it seemed. Still, it was more than what she'd gotten from her father thus far. They stood once more in awkward silence before Jeralt finally cast his gaze back to Sitri's grave before placing the flower on top of her grave, "You look a lot like her. Your mother, I mean," Jeralt frowned, "It took me off guard when I first arrived- it was… like I was looking at a ghost."

Byleth's gaze drifted down to her mother's grave. She didn't know how to feel about being told she looked a lot like her mother. It connected Byleth to her in a more concrete way than the stories Rhea had told her growing up. The way Jeralt spoke of her made her seem so much more like a real person than a concept. She wanted to be happy about being compared to her mother, but all she felt was confused. It highlighted how little she knew about both her parents outside of the stories the Archbishop told her.

They stood in silence once more. The conversation had all but died, and Byleth was okay with that. This little detour had taken up more time than she would have liked. She probably wouldn't have time to see Lady Rhea until after classes had ended, which was unfortunate, but it wasn't going to get her in trouble. If anything, Flayn probably would complain more than Rhea would. However, Byleth still felt like she had to say something- if she didn't then, she would lose this opportunity to get to know her father.

"Well, I… am very much alive!" Byleth offered a stiff smile.

"That you are…" Jeralt murmured before frowning. It seemed that something was bothering him, but he held back from saying anything.

"...Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong…? Byleth finally asked. She couldn't help but notice the way her father seemed to bristle uncomfortably when he looked at Byleth. Was all of this really because she looked so much like Sitri? Maybe approaching him had been a mistake- and if he was going to act this way, she should ask Rhea to switch her over to the Blue Lions and save them both the grief.

"You? No," Jeralt's answer was immediate and curt, "You've done nothing wrong."

He didn't elaborate, and she was left feeling more confused than reassured. However, that just seemed to be her constant state of being recently.

"Er… would you be more comfortable if I… switched houses…?" Byleth hadn't intended to speak the question aloud, but it just sort of… happened. She had been so ecstatic to be learning under her father, but she didn't want to cause trouble if she didn't have to, "You wouldn't have to teach me that way, and…"

"No," Jeralt's eyes finally drifted from her mother's grave and finally to Byleth. He was finally looking at her.

"No?" Byleth blinked. This wasn't the first time in the conversation her father's gruff answered had left her unsure of how to feel. Did her presence cause him grief or not?! Could she just get a straight answer out of this man? It was like talking to a brick wall.

"No, being at Garreg Mach is hard, but I'm glad I got to see you, and…" There's a long pause again, and his eyes narrowed, "I'm glad Rhea offered the opportunity for me to teach you," Jeralt gritted his teeth, almost like he was annoyed by something, and it had to do with Rhea. It was clear that Jeralt almost seemed to hold a personal disdain for Rhea, but knew better to speak ill of the Archbishop within the walls of Garreg Mach.

"...Erm… about Lady Rhea…"

"Listen, kid, this is my first lesson as your teacher," Jeralt huffed, and Byleth almost jumped at the sudden change in topic, "Don't say stuff you might regret. Especially when the walls have ears. "

He huffed and turned away, the conversation abruptly dropped. Byleth watched Jeralt's retreating form- his warning leaving an ominous feeling in the pit of her gut.


	9. Let's Drop the Formalities

**A/N:** Welcome back! This chapter got significantly longer than my other chapters so it was kind of a pain to edit. Luckily, I've picked up one editor for grammar stuff, and one beta reader for story stuff. I've also started an outline in a big fat google doc, as well as commissioned something for Chapter 15! I look forward to sharing the finished stuff with you all! :)

Edit: Fanfif decided to delete the dash breaks I put in. Doh. Fixed now.

* * *

Her meeting with Jeralt left a lot to be desired. But Byleth was over the moon that she had an actual conversation with her father. Still, his parting words left her with a vaguely ominous feeling. What could he have meant by "the walls have ears," and what did that have to do with her? Did he mean to imply that Lady Rhea didn't want Byleth to ask too many questions about what had happened in the past?

Sothis, too, seemed somewhat hesitant to trust Rhea. She had said something about her words not being sincere, but Rhea… had always been genuine, right? The Archbishop had always done what was best for Fódlan.

Hadn't she?

The more Byleth thought about it, the more she came to realize how little she knew about Lady Rhea, despite having been raised by her. Seteth and Flayn spoke in minute detail about what their lives were like before they came to the monastery, but most of Rhea's stories were wrapped up in tales of her parents. The only things she knew about Rhea with certainty were that she lost her mother at a young age, became the Archbishop at some point, was saved by Jeralt, and then… Byleth was born?

Byleth trudged up the steps to the Archbishop's office, weaving between and dodging the nuns scurrying back and forth with paperwork in their hands. Rhea sat in her office, staring down a pile of paperwork as usual, but—unlike before—Seteth was there to help her. He was prattling off something about "the most effective means to distribute missions and chores," and Rhea looked like she was only half-listening. The Archbishop had a quill in hand and was staring intently down at something before her gaze drifted up to catch Byleth standing in the doorway.

"Ah, sweet child, you've come just as I asked." Rhea smiled softly. Seteth stopped mid-sentence and greeted her with a soft smile of his own, although he seemed taken off-guard that she was even there.

"I did, Lady Rhea. I stopped by to see my mother today too. I… I guess I just wanted to talk to her and show her the uniform." Byleth cleared her throat while striding into Rhea's office and then sat across from her.

"She would be so happy for you, Byleth. Your mother was always in such frail health, so she could never leave the monastery," Rhea commented softly, "So, I'm sure she's ecstatic to hear that you have an opportunity she never had."

"Yes, well, I do hope you will be careful on your assignments, Byleth," Seteth suddenly chided. Byleth could see worry lines etching themselves into his face. "You will have Jeralt with you, but that doesn't mean you should be careless. I will personally see that Jeralt takes the utmost care in making sure you—" There was a brief pause. "—and all the students in your class are safe. In fact, I should have a word with your father on several things, really."

Rhea stifled a soft laugh, and Byleth inhaled nervously. Being on the receiving end of one of Seteth's "talks" was not a fun experience. She had never been on the receiving end of one, but many of the students talked ad nauseam about how they were long, detailed lectures with notes on what they had done wrong.

"Seteth, you tend to be overprotective of Byleth in the oddest ways. She'll be fine. I'm certain of it." The soft grin that had wormed its way onto the Archbishop's face only widened as Rhea watched Seteth cross his arms indignantly. "This experience is meant to help Byleth grow. If you shelter her from that, then there would be no point in having her join as a student in the first place."

"I know, Rhea, but you must be aware that she is still just a child—"

"She's not just a child, Seteth. She's the one I've appointed to be my successor as Archbishop. As I'm sure you're well aware, this is not a position that can be held by someone who doesn't have experience on the battlefield."

"Yes, well, she's also never been outside the walls of the monastery before. Fighting bandits on the battlefield is not the same as training in the barracks. I don't care how many rigorous training sessions Catherine has put her through. Catherine is far too reckless for her own good."

Byleth winced at the mention of one of Catherine's training sessions. She was a good tutor but refused to hold back, even when Byleth had just started taking up the sword. Byleth could still remember the plethora of bruises and the broken rib she had gotten from their very first sparring session. It did help her learn how to dodge quickly, but the memory was still unpleasant.

"Byleth has had more training than most of the students here. She will be able to hold her own just fine," Rhea insisted.

Seteth's strained smile turned into an intense frown. Judging by her tone, Rhea wanted Seteth to put an end to the conversation. When Seteth seemed hesitant to oblige, Byleth used the quiet moment to get a word in, "You… have been on the battlefield before, Lady Rhea? I knew you were proficient in magic, but…"

"Ah." Rhea looked momentarily taken aback, like she had said something she shouldn't have, but after a moment, she nodded. "I have. A very long time ago. Some circumstances necessitated the Archbishop's presence on the battlefield. Although, I haven't left the walls of Garreg Mach in a long time."

The graceful and elegant Archbishop Rhea on the battlefield? Byleth could scarcely believe it, let alone imagine it.

"But, we live in a far different time now. Despite the occasional problem with bandits, Fódlan is now largely peaceful. I hope the experiences you will have in your time at the Officer's Academy will help you maintain that peace." She smiled gently. "You should focus on being a student here, and that means completing your assigned missions to the best of your abilities. The first one shall be the mock battle—"

"A mock battle?" Byleth tilted her head. "Ah, you mean the skill assessment."

"Yes. The mock battle gives your instructor a good chance to assess your individual skills and your skills as a team. No one will be using real weapons, so the risk of injury is minimal. However, Seteth is still determined to worry," Rhea lightly laughed.

Byleth's eyes darted to Seteth, and he was trying and failing to hold back a frown as red stained his cheeks. He didn't enjoy it when Rhea pointed out his worrywart tendencies, but Seteth had been like that for as long as Byleth could remember.

"I am sure everything will be fine for the mock battle. It's everything else afterwards that I am worried about it. I've known Byleth since she was just a baby. Of course I'd worry about her just as much as I worry about Flayn," Seteth grumbled.

"Yes, and if you worried about her the way you do me, we both know that, if you had your way, Byleth would be locked up in this dusty old monastery for the rest of her days! She will be fine, brother!" Flayn's voice suddenly chimed in as the young girl stepped into Rhea's office with a coy smile on her face. "Did you think I would not come to see you on your first day of school? Oh, I am absolutely elated for you, Byleth! You will make a wonderful student!"

Byleth offered Flayn a small nod. She hadn't expected her meeting with Lady Rhea to turn into a complete family get-together. In fact, she was a little disappointed. There were many things Byleth wanted to talk to the Archbishop about, but… it wasn't anything she could say out loud with Seteth and Flayn present. Perhaps it was for the better, though. Byleth had to learn how to navigate things without Rhea's soft reassurances. She wasn't a child anymore, and the Archbishop wasn't her mother.

"So… why did you want to meet with me, Lady Rhea?" Byleth asked. In the midst of all the chit-chat, the reason for this meeting had been lost. Byleth was certain Rhea had simply wanted to reiterate their plans, but instead, Rhea reached under her desk and then placed a sword on top of it.

It was a simple short sword, but the metal's quality seemed far higher than anything in the training barracks. Sunlight glinted off the blade, and Byleth could make out her own reflection within it. A small red ribbon had been tied along the hilt.

"I wanted to get you a gift for your first day. I know how anxious you have been over everything, sweet child. But I want you to know I have complete faith in you. Of course, I am not exactly skilled at picking out gifts, so Seteth and Flayn helped me pick out something that would be fitting."

Byleth gently picked up the blade and watched the sunlight glint off the metal. A sword like this must have cost a lot of money. Byleth... couldn't help but feel slightly moved by it all. Rhea had noticed how anxious she had been and had gone out of her way to get Byleth a gift—one that Seteth and Flayn helped pick out. Despite all the confusion Jeralt's presence had brought to her, she was sure the Church was her family just as it had been her mother's family.

"Thank you," Byleth murmured quietly while she tried to swallow back the lump in her throat. There was some relief in knowing that she always had a family, even if Jeralt ended up leaving the monastery or wanting nothing to do with her. "I'll take good care of it."

It was in that quiet moment that the bell rang. Ah, the meeting had run longer than expected, and she would have to skip breakfast. Unfortunate, but Byleth could deal with it.

"Well, that's all we had. Off you go now, child. I want to hear all about your first day later," Rhea insisted. Byleth nodded before darting out of Rhea's office. It would be bad form to be late on her first day!

* * *

Rhea watched Byleth dart out of the room with a spring in the child's step. Once Byleth was out of earshot, Rhea's soft smile morphed into something more akin to a frown. The Archbishop wasn't sure if this was a good idea. The more she let the girl out into the open world, the more questions she would ask. Even now, the girl was becoming much more inquisitive. It wasn't entirely a bad thing, but…

There was even a risk that Jeralt might eventually tell her the truth behind his departure from the monastery. Though, Rhea was sure she had cowed the Bladebreaker into silence. For now. While Jeralt was no doting father like Seteth, he was still a good man at heart and cared about his family. So, she had to keep an eye on the two.

Rhea had wanted to avoid putting Byleth into school, but unfortunately, it was a last resort. Every other method to awaken their mother had resulted in failure. She had put Byleth through rigorous training, given her the best education on the ancient texts she could—and still nothing. Rhea could only surmise that Byleth's sheltered upbringing had kept her from being a proper vessel for Sothis's return. After all, her mother was as much a warrior as she was a scholar, and Byleth couldn't become a proper warrior sheltered within the halls of Garreg Mach. The training hadn't been enough. There was no risk of life or death within these halls.

A sigh escaped her.

"Rhea. You have never elaborated on why you took such an interest in this child. There are plenty of orphans living within Garreg Mach, but you only ever decided to teach one. Why?" Seteth's voice pierced her thoughts while Flayn stared at her intently. As much as it pained her to keep things from Seteth and Flayn... This was something with which she couldn't entrust Seteth.

"All in due time, Seteth. I assure you, I only want the best for that child. And in a way… I suppose I feel responsible for her."

After all, she was the reason Byleth existed—Sitri had been one of her many failed creations. Rhea could only hope that Byleth was not another in a long line of failures.

Seteth frowned once more but asked no more. When Rhea gave such a nonanswer to his questions, her advisor knew better than to pry.

* * *

Byleth's meeting with Rhea had resulted in her being slightly late to class—most of the students had already filtered into the classroom and were chattering among themselves. Byleth shuffled into the classroom and took a seat at the front. She had initially wanted to blend into the corner. Still, the young woman remembered her task was to actually get to know people.

"Oh, you don't look like anyone I've seen before~" an unfamiliar voice chirped before taking a seat next to Byleth. "I knew all the young ladies in the Golden Deer house—you must be a last-minute addition. I'm Hilda of House Goneril, and you are…?" Hilda questioned.

"Byleth, I'm—"

"This is that nun I told you about Hilda," Claude's voice chimed in as he took a seat on the other side of Byleth. "The one who thrashed me at the planning session with Edelgard and Dimitri."

"Er…" Byleth wasn't exactly sure what to say. She didn't exactly want to be known for her unforgiving battle tactics.

"What? No way! Claude is almost impossible to beat at tactics"—Hilda shot Claude a look—"because he never takes it seriously!"

"Rich coming from someone who's looking for another poor victim to sucker into doing chores. Here's a warning, Byleth—don't trust Hilda. Her compliments are a double-edged sword." Claude grinned.

Hilda puffed out her cheeks, indignantly. "Whaaat? I would never…!"

Their banter continued back and forth, but Byleth felt like her head was spinning already. It felt like she was an outsider to some type of dynamic she didn't understand. It was quickly becoming overwhelming.

"Anyway, Hilda's scheming to get out of chores aside... You…. don't actually know anyone here, do you? It's written all over your face—you look like a lost kitten," Claude remarked. Byleth frowned. Was it really so obvious? She would have to control her facial expressions a little bit more.

"Er… well… no. I've never been outside Garreg Mach, so…" Byleth was about to explain before Hilda cut her off.

"What? Seriously?" Hilda gaped; this time, it seemed more genuine than the over-exaggerated surprise she'd been trying to convey before. "Your sword skills must be good if they let you in here. I mean, your tactics skills have to be good if you beat Claude."

"Er… I suppose I have some training, yeah," Byleth muttered quietly. She thought it best to not exclaim that her tutor was Thunderbrand Catherine. She didn't want to make it known that the Archbishop had ordered special training for her—she was supposed to keep a low profile and be normal. Well, as normal as one could get despite having the spirit of what may or may not be the Goddess in her head.

"I suppose I should have the honor of introducing you to the students of the Golden Deer this year then." Claude grinned; Byleth nodded, offering him a small smile in turn. At the very least, they were all friendly, for which Byleth was more than grateful.

"Well, we're lucky we're a mishmash of different nobles and commoners this year. No stuffy formalities—well, unless you're Lorenz. But then you just have a thing for stuffy formalities." He pointed to a purple-haired young man standing in the corner talking with a much smaller girl with stark white hair. "And the pipsqueak is Lysithea. Ah, but if you call her a pipsqueak, she'll probably kill you? So don't do that—"

"Unless you're Claude and like to tease people," Hilda chimed in.

Claude shrugged with the same easy smile. "What? It's funny. Uh… those two over there—" Claude pointed to the row across from them. One individual was much smaller than the other, with one having comically large muscles and a shirt that seemed ready to burst at the seams because it was so ill-fitting. "—Raphael and Ignatz. They're both from merchant families. Raphael is a bit slow on the uptake, but he's got a good heart and Ignatz… Hm… Well, you and he might get along—"

Byleth blinked, "Er… Why…?"

"Because you're a nun, and Ignatz has a thing for the Goddess or something. It all flies over my head, but if you mention the Goddess in any way to Ignatz, he'll talk your ear off about how beautiful he thinks she must be."

Byleth… didn't really know how to respond to that. The Sothis in her head was hardly the eloquent and charming Goddess that Ignatz probably thought her to be. Instead, she was…

The nicest way to describe her was: a handful.

"Ah, I suppose Marianne prays to the Goddess a lot too," Claude continued, pointing to a young woman sitting down in the corner with her head cast downward. Byleth saw deep-set dark circles under the young woman's eyes. She seemed ready to flee at any moment. "She's very nice, but people tend to avoid her since she's so gloomy all the time."

Ah, Byleth understood that feeling quite well. Students from previous years always made it a point to avoid Byleth because they thought her quiet and weird. In truth, she just… never knew how to talk to people.

"And you've met Hilda and me. So, I suppose you're the one that has to introduce yourself now—" Claude grinned, but Byleth felt his invitation was far more probing than he was letting on. He was curious about her—Byleth was almost certain that Claude had more questions hidden behind that smile.

Or maybe she was just paranoid.

"Yeah, why did a nun join one of the Houses to begin with? It's a bit strange. If you wanted to train with the Knights, you could have just asked Alois for an apprenticeship? He'd be more than willing if your goal was to become a knight," Hilda remarked, curiosity clearly written all over her face. Ah, the cover story did have a lot of holes in it, didn't it?

However, before Byleth could patch together any sort of response, it was Lorenz who spoke—his smug voice caused Hilda to roll her eyes, "It makes perfect sense actually, if you think about who is supposed to be teaching the Golden Deer this year."

"And that would be…?" Hilda eyed him, and Lorenz's eyes seemed to sparkle over the idea of getting to smugly elaborate on something Hilda didn't know.

"Jeralt Eisner. The Bladebreaker. Apparently, he and his apprentice returned to Garreg Mach, or so the rumor mill says"—Lorenz flipped a lock of hair from his face—"and he's chosen to teach the Golden Deer as a favor to Archbishop Rhea."

Claude eyed Lorenz with a frown. Byleth knew the original instructor had abandoned the three House Leaders after they'd been accosted by bandits. Still, apparently, that wasn't the story the other students had been fed. It was probably for the best. If it was known they'd been attacked by bandits while under the monastery's care, it would have become an international incident. But… Byleth was sure her father didn't agree to become a teacher as a favor to Rhea. Their relationship seemed instead… somewhat strained.

"So it's only natural an aspiring Knight would want to study under the infamously lost captain of the Knights of Seiros," Lorenz exclaimed.

Byleth nodded silently. She was grateful for the impromptu cover story.

"So that's it, huh… Well, I suppose that makes sense." Hilda smiled at Byleth, seemingly satisfied by Lorenz. Byleth only returned the smile with a terse smile of her own. Claude remained silent throughout the exchange, even though Byleth could make out the slightest furrow in his brow.

"Is… something the matter, Claude?" Byleth pressed.

"Huh? Oh!" Claude's slight frown had faded just as quickly as it appeared. "Nah, I just wasn't personally told we were getting a new Professor. It took me by surprise, that's all. Feel kinda outta the loop if Lorenz knows something before I do." He shot Lorenz a mischievous grin. Lorenz's smug smile turned into an offended frown.

Their exchange was lost on Byleth. Something about Claude not being a more attentive future leader of the Leicester Alliance. What Byleth was more surprised by was the fact that Archbishop Rhea hadn't told Claude. That implied that Jeralt's hiring wasn't planned but instead offered on a whim—which wasn't like Rhea. Maybe it was because Jeralt was her father…?

"Hm, you're too willing to see the good in people. This is all sort of suspicious, isn't it? The day you're supposed to go into the school, your father just happens to stop being missing, agrees to be a teacher, and there just **HAPPENS** to be an opening?"

Sothis… had a point. This was a lot to all be one happy coincidence. Luck was not nearly so charitable. But it was also unreasonable to think that this was all some grand conspiracy too. The most straightforward answer was usually the most likely. In this case, it just seemed that a series of coincidences conspired to make Jeralt stay.

"I think it's strange, though. Given Jeralt's frigid relationship with the Archbishop… Wouldn't it make more sense for him to just leave? You said he left once before. When you were a baby?"

"Yes, he did."

"So, I'm not trying to be mean here, but… Why does your father want to stay and watch over you now? He didn't want to stay when you were a baby?"

"Lady Rhea said it was grief."

"Grief?" Sothis sounded exasperated. "I suppose, but if it had to do with the death of your mother, then why would he abandon the last link he had to her? It just doesn't make sense."

"I mean… does it have to make sense? Grief can warp people in cruel and twisted ways," Byleth told Sothis. She had seen it happen plenty of times before in the funerals the monastery held—the way people just shut down after the death of a loved one. She had never experienced such pain, but…

"Hm… I don't know. Something still doesn't feel right here." Sothis sighed. "Whatever, I'll think on it some more and let you know if I come up with an idea."

"What you should be doing is trying to remember who you are and why you're attached to me! Not… trying to parse out my family issues," Byleth practically hissed back. Still, the slam of a door snapped her out of her conversation with Sothis. Jeralt marched in—and immediately, all the students' eyes were on him.

There was a moment of silence at first as he walked to the front of the classroom and up to the blackboard. Jeralt grabbed a piece of chalk and started writing his name onto the blackboard. Finally, with a somewhat gruff huff, he turned around and pointed to his sloppily written name.

"So you're the new teach, huh?" Claude hummed.

"I, for one, am pleased to make your acquaintance, Professor Eisner," Lorenz sniveled.

"This teach looks like he knows how to fight! Alright, my muscles are screaming already!" Raphael grinned.

"Professor…" Lysithea raised her hand, but before her question could be asked—

"**Stop**," Jeralt huffed. There was an edge to his voice that Byleth had come to recognize in the few interactions she'd had with her father. It betrayed discomfort, or so she thought. "Don't call me Professor or Teacher or The Bladebreaker or any of that formal title crap."

"Wha... But how are we supposed to address our teacher then?" Lorenz sounded more exasperated by the minute, to which Claude's amused smile grew.

"Jeralt. That's all," Her father responded, crossing his arms, "If you call me Professor or Teacher, I'll make you run a lap around the monastery."

Byleth didn't know what she was expecting when Rhea had hired her father to teach, but somehow she had a different impression of how this would go. He had always seemed so restrained with her that Byleth might have mistaken him for being mild-mannered, but the way he ordered the class around now he…

Seemed unprofessional.

"Alright! So all you're saying to get you to make me run laps for training is just to call you Professor?! I can do that—" Raphael was about to continue with a long string of the word 'Professor,' but Ignatz frantically dove to cover his friend's mouth.

"L... Let's not antagonize our new te… instru… Jeralt, yeah…?" Ignatz mumbled meekly.

"Good, you brats at least seemed to be quick learners. That's good. The quicker you learn, the faster I can whip you into shape."

"Excuse me, Sir Jeralt—" Lorenz was about to pipe up before Jeralt interjected.

"One lap. Sir counts as a formality."

Lorenz was caught off guard. "I'll have you know I am the heir to House Gloucester, I—!"

Jeralt interrupted him again, "And you'll find I don't give a shit."

The entire class, including Byleth, was taken aback by his harsh language. Was this really the same man who couldn't spit out two words to Byleth? Was this the same man who had so gently placed lilacs on her mother's grave?!

"This is my first lesson to you as a class." Jeralt gave them all a hard stare. "Noble? Commoner? None of that matters on the battlefield. Status doesn't matter. What matters is killing your enemy while making sure you and your comrades don't die."

Silence fell over the classroom. Byleth had never had the unpleasant experience of killing someone before. Still, she figured that it would be an inevitable experience. Catherine had said as much.

"I've been tasked with making you brats into capable military officers. Many of you won't go on to fight great wars or fight in mercenary troops, but you will still be expected to learn what it's like to be a soldier. I don't care what prestigious family you come from. I don't care what kind of crest you have. And you'll find many of your opponents, whether they're bandits or hired assassins, don't care either. Tomorrow, you'll have a mock battle to determine where your abilities are—not only individually, but also as a team."

The classroom atmosphere was tense as the class tried to find a way to parse what Jeralt was asking of them. Byleth didn't see it as incredibly difficult—she had been raised outside the strict caste system of Fodlan—but judging by the expression on some of her classmates' faces… That was asking a lot of them. However, one person who seemed mostly unbothered by this whole debacle was Claude. In fact, he appeared… particularly elated by this entire development.

"Just know, if you all make an ass of yourselves tomorrow…" Jeralt paused, "…you will just be made to work that much harder."

The entire class, save for perhaps Raphael, groaned.


End file.
